Ruth A. Papineau

Ruth A. (Riley) Papineau, 100, of Nashua, died Sunday, November 3, 2024, at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, after a short period of declining health.

A resident of Nashua for most of her life, Ruth was born in Norwich CT on January 16, 1924, the daughter of the late Joseph and Anastasia Riley. Ruth was 15 at the start of World War II, and after graduating from high school went to work in a local factory making blankets and other supplies to aid in the war effort. After the war, she worked for many years as a bank manager for Souhegan-Amoskeag Bank. Ruth was a sports fanatic and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. She also enjoyed cooking her famous homemade spaghetti and meatballs, corned beef and cabbage, and apple pie for family gatherings. Ruth was a devout Catholic and attended mass every Sunday at the Parish of the Resurrection in Nashua, and later enjoyed participating in televised mass from Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart in South Bend, Indiana. Most of all, she was a skilled card player and enjoyed games of Bridge and Gin Rummy with her friends and family, with her own special rules. Ruth was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years Gerard, her brother Joseph, her sister Catherine, and her eldest grandson Michael.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Timothy and Virginia Riley of Bedford, New Hampshire, her daughter and son-in-law Kathleen and Marc Levine of Tucson, Arizona, as well as six grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. 

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, May 23, 2025, at 10AM at the Parish of the Resurrection in Nashua. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bedford. Friends and family are welcome to attend services. Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium is in charge of arrangements. To view and online tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.phaneuf.net