Obituary for Ruth A. Egan (Decker)
LATHAM – Ruth Ann (Decker) Egan, 80, formerly of Watervliet, died Saturday, December 4, 2021 at Albany Medical Center with her children at her side. She was born in Troy on April 15, 1941, the daughter of the late Joseph C. and Ruth C. (Bouchard) Decker.
Ruth graduated Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in Watervliet and Catholic Central High School in Troy. At 18, she moved to New York City to become an airline stewardess, worked at Trailways Bus, and as a representative for Loft's Candies.
After moving back to Watervliet, she was employed by Lloyd Studio in Troy. She met her late husband Bill at the Crooked Lake House, where he was a musician. Following their marriage, Ruth raised her four children while working for the Troy Record as the Watervliet reporter. She later worked for Troy Savings Bank, SBLI Life Insurance, and finished her career at Phoenix Life Insurance in East Greenbush.
She was an active member of Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Watervliet, serving as the president of the Home School Association, a member of the Rosary Society, and a Girl Scout Leader.
Ruth enjoyed reading, and by a conservative estimate by her children, she read an astonishing 3,220 plus books in the last 20 years. She enjoyed puzzles and created crossword puzzles for Penny Press. She played Mahjong regularly with friends she has known since grammar school at the Watervliet Senior Center and taught Mahjong at the King Thiel Retirement Community in Latham. She loved to travel and visited 27 of the 50 states. She enjoyed trips to the casino and never met a slot machine she didn't like.
She embraced the idealistic happy endings as portrayed in her favorite Hallmark Movies. But what she embraced most were family gatherings and often arranged family trips with all her children and grandchildren.
She was the wife of the late William C. Egan, who died in 2006; beloved mother of Tracy Egan-Lasek (Curtis) of Niskayuna, Kelly Egan (Daniel Odescalchi) of Manhattan, Brian Egan of Green Island and Scott Egan (Sara) of Glenville; adored grandmother of Jacqueline & Catherine Lasek and Halee & Logan Egan; sister of Michael and Robert Decker and the late John Decker. She is also survived by several cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her memorial service on Thursday at 11:00 am at Parker Bros. Memorial, 2013 Broadway, Watervliet with visiting hours prior from 10:30-11:00 am.
PLEASE NOTE, FAMILY WOULD LIKE EVERYONE ATTENDING THE SERVICE TO WEAR A MASK. THANK YOU.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to an organization dear to her heart, the Capital City Rescue Mission, 259 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202 or capitalcityrescuemission.org.
Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.
Ruth graduated Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in Watervliet and Catholic Central High School in Troy. At 18, she moved to New York City to become an airline stewardess, worked at Trailways Bus, and as a representative for Loft's Candies.
After moving back to Watervliet, she was employed by Lloyd Studio in Troy. She met her late husband Bill at the Crooked Lake House, where he was a musician. Following their marriage, Ruth raised her four children while working for the Troy Record as the Watervliet reporter. She later worked for Troy Savings Bank, SBLI Life Insurance, and finished her career at Phoenix Life Insurance in East Greenbush.
She was an active member of Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Watervliet, serving as the president of the Home School Association, a member of the Rosary Society, and a Girl Scout Leader.
Ruth enjoyed reading, and by a conservative estimate by her children, she read an astonishing 3,220 plus books in the last 20 years. She enjoyed puzzles and created crossword puzzles for Penny Press. She played Mahjong regularly with friends she has known since grammar school at the Watervliet Senior Center and taught Mahjong at the King Thiel Retirement Community in Latham. She loved to travel and visited 27 of the 50 states. She enjoyed trips to the casino and never met a slot machine she didn't like.
She embraced the idealistic happy endings as portrayed in her favorite Hallmark Movies. But what she embraced most were family gatherings and often arranged family trips with all her children and grandchildren.
She was the wife of the late William C. Egan, who died in 2006; beloved mother of Tracy Egan-Lasek (Curtis) of Niskayuna, Kelly Egan (Daniel Odescalchi) of Manhattan, Brian Egan of Green Island and Scott Egan (Sara) of Glenville; adored grandmother of Jacqueline & Catherine Lasek and Halee & Logan Egan; sister of Michael and Robert Decker and the late John Decker. She is also survived by several cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her memorial service on Thursday at 11:00 am at Parker Bros. Memorial, 2013 Broadway, Watervliet with visiting hours prior from 10:30-11:00 am.
PLEASE NOTE, FAMILY WOULD LIKE EVERYONE ATTENDING THE SERVICE TO WEAR A MASK. THANK YOU.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to an organization dear to her heart, the Capital City Rescue Mission, 259 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202 or capitalcityrescuemission.org.
Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.