Ruth Lapeire Veit

Ruth Alice Lapeire Veit, 85, of Great Barrington passed away on March 10, 2020 at Berkshire Medical Center.

Born August 2, 1934 in Jamaica, NY she was the daughter of Franklyn and Ruth (Hagenaugh) Lapeire.  Ruth was raised in Bellerose Village, NY, and graduated from Sewanhaka High School.  She attended Endicott College, earning an associate degree.  Following college, she became the legal secretary to the senior partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft in New York City.  She loved her work there and considered it a highlight of her life.

She married Robert Veit in 1962 and together they raised two daughters as longtime residents of Chatham Township, NJ.  She was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township.

In 2000 she and Bob retired to Great Barrington, MA where she had the good fortune of reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.  She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Great Barrington.

Ruth will be remembered for the love she lavished on her husband of 57 years and her children and grandchildren, her love of crossword puzzles and classic movies, her smile and kindness, her proclivity for using nicknames, and a sense of humor.

She leaves behind her husband, Bob, daughters Catherine Devaney (Thomas) of Bow, NH and Suzanne Watson (David) of Scarborough, ME, grandchildren Ian, Griffin, Collin, and Grace, as well as her brother, John Lapeire (Nan) of Washington Crossing, PA.

Per Ruth’s wishes there will be no calling hours or funeral service.  A private gathering of family will take place at the convenience of the family.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the First Congregational Church of Great Barrington c/o Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230.  To send remembrances to her family go to www.finnertyandstevens.com

To honor her memory do a crossword puzzle while watching a classic movie, preferably on a screened-in porch.