Ruth L. Hirst, 76, of Calabash, NC, formerly of Inlet and Watertown, NY, died Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at McLeod Seacoast Hospital, Little River, SC. Ruth was born on May 11, 1936 in Evans Mills, NY. She is survived by her children, Carolyn Hirst-Loucks and husband, Kim of Sunset Beach, NC, John Hirst and wife Rosie, Goose Creek, SC, Eric Hirst of Rochester, NY and Susan Hirst-Estes and husband David of Waldorf, MD. Her brother Wilfred Paul and sisters Dawn Mitchell and Wanda Jones also survive Ruth. Ruth was predeceased by her parents, Wilfred and Ada May Paul, her beloved husband of 56 years, John David Hirst Sr., brother Albert Paul, and sisters Marcia LePine and Gwendolyn Snyder.

Ruth was devoted to her family. Ruth worked at Woolworth’s Department Store in Watertown NY as a sales associate, but her real love was caring for her family. She was quietly proud of her children and always interested in what they were doing. She was as busy as a bee in her home. Ruth loved her little house in the sunny South and was happy living in her Calabash Acres neighborhood. She worked hard to keep her house up inside and out. She was a gardener and loved working in her yard; planting many plants in her favorite color, purple. She was an amazing cook and an even better baker. Ruth was renowned for her cookies, cakes, pies, muffins and her special Cherry Go-Round and loved to share the results with others. Many people can blame extra pounds on her generosity. She was a reader and a Jumble puzzle fanatic. She loved her dog, Katrina, her constant companion. Ruth was the loving foundation of her family; she will be sorely missed.

Services will be private. Memorial gifts may be made to the Canine Angels, c/o Rick Kaplan, 98 Shadow Moss Place, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 or on-line at http://www.canineangelsservicedogs.org/donate

Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.

You can continue on to this article in a few seconds, or you can visit one of our websites:

• Watertown Daily Times
• The Ogdensburg Journal
• Daily Courier-Observer