Joyce Marie  Ruddock

Joyce Marie Ruddock, 58, of Newtown, died at home in the arms of her husband and surrounded by family, October 8. Ms Ruddock fought a courageous six-year battle with breast cancer. She was born September 11, 1954, in Syracuse, N.Y., to Elizabeth Agnes Ruddock and Edward Francis Ruddock.

She was the beloved wife of Charles A. Foster, PhD; loving stepmother to Katherine Wilson; and grandmother to Emery Claire Wilson. Ms Ruddock was a loving and devoted sister to Lynne Goodfellow of Sarasota, Fla., James Ruddock of Baldwinsville, N.Y., Betsy Szel of Westport, Mass., and Edward T. Ruddock of Southbury. She also leaves several nephews and nieces; and her adored dog, Zeph.

Ms Ruddock was an adventurous lover of the outdoors whose hobbies included hiking, scuba diving, kayaking, and collecting seashells.

She graduated from West Genesee High School in 1972, State University of New York at Cortland in 1976 with a BS, and Syracuse University with a master’s in education and MPA. A nationally recognized leader in the Medicare and long-term care insurance fields, she was recently the president and chief operating officer of LifePlans Inc.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 27, at the Gelston House, 8 Main Street, East Haddam, at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, Ms Ruddock asked that donations be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston MA 02215 (www.dana-farber.org, direct your donation to breast cancer), or Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western Connecticut, 405 Main Street, Danbury, CT 06810 (www.regionalhospicect.org), or a cancer charity of your choice.

The Honan Funeral Home, Newtown, is serving the family.

The Newtown Bee      October 19, 2012