Ruth Stark, 78

SHERBORN, MASS. – Ruth Stark passed away on July 12, 2024, after a short battle with cancer. She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, wife and friend who was a resident of Sherborn for most of her life. Born in Nyack, New York, to Marianne and Fritz Breuer, she grew up on the campus of Rockland State Hospital, in Orangeburg, New York, where her father served as a psychiatrist. Growing up at the state hospital would influence her later career in healthcare.

Ruth attended Pearl River High School, where she was on the cheerleading squad. She entered Boston University in 1963, where she earned a BA in Political Science. Shortly after graduating, she met Martin Stark, who would become her husband of over 55 years. Her first job after graduating BU was at the American Heart Association, in Boston. Ruth and Martin moved to Sherborn in 1972. She later earned her Master of Public Health degree from BU. She began working at Framingham Union Hospital (now MetroWest Medical Center) in 1980, where she would spend the next 16 years continuing her career in public health communications. Among her many contributions was pioneering a bold style of signage – now used by many Boston-area hospitals. Her only son, David, was born in August 1984 while she was working at Framingham Union.

Ruth was a devoted mother to David and raised him to value family, friendship, reading and the arts. She would often volunteer her time at the Sherborn Elementary School to help organize field trips to area museums like the Museum of Fine Art. Ruth would go on to spend the second half of her career in marketing and public relations at Hebrew SeniorLife, where she was instrumental in its rebranding, edited their newsletter Mosaic and helped to launch the NewBridge on the Charles community. She retired from HSL in 2015.

Ruth spent her retired years with Marty splitting time between their homes in Sherborn, Provincetown and SW Florida. She enjoyed being part of her many communities and added richly to them. Marty and Ruth were known to host great dinners with friends and family at their home in Provincetown and later Cape Coral, Florida. Ruth was a great conversationalist who maintained strong bonds with her many close friends.

Ruth was a patron of the arts who over the years would amass an art collection that spanned from striking art glass to paintings from local artists. She served on the Board of the Danforth Museum, in Framingham. She was also an artist in her own right, working with a variety of mediums. Her most notable works were her glass mosaics. Her vibrant collection, which will continue to be displayed at her homes, will serve as a fitting memorial to Ruth.

She is survived by her husband, Marty, of Cape Coral, Florida; her son, David Stark, daughter-in-law, Sarah; and grandson, Rhys, of Sundance, Wyoming; her sister, Kathy Younger, and family, of Newton, Massachusetts; brother, Dan Breuer, and family, of Boxborough, Massachusetts; her in-laws, Zelda and Joe Brenner, of Wilton, Connecticut; and her nephew, Joe Brenner Jr., and family, of Annapolis, Maryland.