NEW HAVEN — Ruth Hoyt (Landon) Paraskevopoulos died at 8:03 p.m., Dec. 17, 2020, at her residence in hospice care with her daughter, Claudia, at her side.
Ruth was born in her parents’ bedroom at her maternal grandparents’ home, Elmwood Farms, in New Haven, Vt., on Friday the 13th of August 1926. She grew up working on the family dairy farm, learning to drive a team of horses to rake hay at the age of 8 and to drive the farm truck at age 10. Ruth graduated from Beeman Academy in New Haven and graduated from Smith College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. Ruth developed a love of music from an early age, learning to play piano and violin and singing alto in choral groups.
Ruth met her first husband, George Tracy Merritt (“Bus”), in 1944 when she was a senior in high school and he was a student at Middlebury College. They dated all through their college years and while Bus was fulfilling his military duty in the U.S. Navy at Brooklyn Naval Yard. They married in 1948 and moved next door to Ruth’s family home. They ran the dairy farm for 10 years. During that time Ruth began teaching music and directing church choirs in local communities. They taught music together in various public school systems in Burlington, Vt.; Taunton in Somerset, England; Longmeadow Mass.; and Rockville Centre, N.Y., with Ruth directing school orchestras and accompanying school choral groups. They settled in Upper Montclair, N.J., where Ruth helped Bus start and run his business, Merritt Personafax. Ruth and Bus divorced in 1984. Ruth bought and ran Trade Winds Travel Agency for 10 years in Montclair, N.J. This enabled her to travel to several places around the world including Europe, South America and China.
Ruth met her second husband, Nikolaos Paraskevopoulos (“Nikos”) when she was invited to cruise on his Greek charter yacht, M/Y Arvi, which Nikos built, owned and ran. She invested in the Arvi and used her travel agency experience and skills to help Nikos book cruises on the Arvi.
Ruth returned to her family home in New Haven in 1990. Nikos joined her during the winter off seasons and then full time when he retired and they sold the Arvi. Nikos transferred his woodworking and maintenance skills from the Arvi to Ruth’s family homestead. They happily planted over 60 trees and flowerbeds, refinished furniture and renovated the house until Nikos’ death in 2006. After Nikos’ death Ruth continued to live independently in her family home with increasing support services from her children and friends and neighbors until her death.
Ruth was predeceased by her maternal grandparents Henry Clinton and Susan Adams Conant, parents Carroll and Alice Landon, sister and brother-in-law Lillian Conant and Robert Wade Landon, eldest son Michael Landon Merritt, and middle daughter Carroll Hoyt Merritt.
Ruth is survived by her eldest daughter and son-in-law Claudia and Thomas O’Neill and their daughter Megan O’Neill; younger son George Tracy Merritt III and his partner Floarea Borlovan; youngest daughter and son-in-law Lauria and David Connolly and their children Jack, Rory, and Julie Connolly; and Lauria’s daughter Abby van den Noort. Ruth is also survived by her sister Lillian’s daughter Linda Colvin; her former brother-in-law and adult lifelong friend Francis Lincoln Merritt Jr.; several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews; and a great-grandnephew.
The family would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to Suzy Korda Roorda, whose friendship and assistance to Ruth and her family allowed her to remain independent and to achieve her final life goals in her home; to Phillip Busier, who faithfully maintained Ruth and Nikos’ extensive landscaping for many years; and to Ruth’s health care providers, Dr. Emily Glick, Dr. Matthew Watkins, Dr. Johannes “Chris” Nunnink, N.P. Lena Wasmus, M.A. Elizabeth Clark, Dr. Eric Benz, Dr. David Diaz, Dr. Andres Roomet, Porter Medical Center Emergency Department, and Addison County Home Health and Hospice, especially Stephanie Stoddard, R.N., Sara Audet LICSW, and Jane Kearns R.N., Director of Hospice.
An extra special thank you to the New Haven First Responders and Bristol Rescue Squad, who not only responded numerous times to transport Ruth for emergency care, but also responded with unfailing kindness and patience to the many, many false alarms when she inadvertently activated her medical alert system.
Per Ruth’s expressed wishes, graveside service and interment will take place later in 2021 at the Conant Landon family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Ruth’s name to your local public school system’s music education program or Future Farmers of America program, to your local first responders/rescue squad, or to your local home health/hospice agency.
Arrangements are in the care of Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home in Middlebury, Vt.◊