A funeral service was held at the Parish Church, Nafferton on Tuesday, August 7 for Mrs Ruth Abel (formerly of Nafferton) who died peacefully in Riverhead Hall on July 30. She was aged 100 years.
The service was conducted by the Rev Jean Artley & the organist was Mr Steven Westaway.
Ruth Abel was one of eight children born to John and Hannah Slater of Brotton in Cleveland. When she was six the family moved to Nafferton. She married Stewart Abel of Bridlington at Easter in 1933 where they lived for a year or two before moving to Nafferton permanently. They went on to have five children Enid, Gillian, Susan, James and the late Mary.
Ruth was always busy, she was the first cook at Nafferton County Primary School despite having five children and her working career finished at Nafferton Post Office.
Ruth was an avid tennis player in her younger days and a member of the Mothers’ Union, founder member of the Nafferton Lit. & Dramatic Society, Women’s Institute, Bright Hour and the RNLI. She moved to Riverhead Hall at the age of 97 where she enjoyed a happy time, particularly her 100th birthday party, receiving a card from the Queen and taking part in the many activities there.
Chief mourners: Enid & Ken King , Gillian & David Johnson, Susan & Christopher Megginson (daughters & sons in law), James & Ruth Abel (son & daughter in law), Jonathan & Michelle King (grandson & wife), Jeremy & Julie King (grandson & wife), Ann & Richard Mallinson (granddaughter & husband) rep Rebecca & Katie (great grandchildren), Richard Johnson & Elaine Holmes (grandson & partner), Stewart Abel & Catherine Woodward (grandson & partner), Elizabeth Abel & Craig Zadoroznyj (granddaughter & partner), Isobel King, Matthew & Thomas King (great grandchildren), Harry & Margaret Slater (brother & sister in law), also rep Mrs Daisy Slater (sister in law), Frank & Betty Newlove.
Others present: Jane & Alan Reynolds (niece & husband) also rep Mark Slater & family, Judy Wylie, Rod Slater & Alison Dagg & Janet & Pat Carroll, Chris & Mary Slater (nephew & wife) rep Katie & Amy, Mr & Mrs Stephen Burdass rep Mr & Mrs L Senior, Betty Jakin rep Gill & Cedric Calvert & Mr L McCabe, Mr & Mrs G Found, Irene & Mike Anderson rep Eileen Scrivener, Vic & Kathy Thompson, David Cook rep Betty Maltby, Christine Watson rep Jean Merritt, Mrs Emmie Long, Catherine Kitching rep Ian, Audrey Jackson rep Steve Jackson & Mrs Daphne Shaw, Mrs E Barraclough rep Mr & Mrs D McKie,Mrs E Megginson rep Richard Megginson, Joan Merritt, Heather Winn rep Gerald Winn & Nafferton WI, Joan Shawcross, Anne Pudsey, Margaret Johnson, Angela Lidster & Claire Dawes (District Nurses), Janet Humphrey rep Kath Sharman, Andrew Parker, Ros & David Pudsey, Mr & Mrs W Heward, Mrs Judy Coleman, Alwyn Baron rep Dorothy & family, Emma Kane, Joanna Goldsworthy, Jean Walton, Rita Riggs, Nancy Grace, Sandi Colvill, Katheryn Oglesby, Marion Ake, Judith Waterson (nee Ives), Rose Crawford rep RNLI & Mrs Peggy Mumby, Sheila Goodale rep Lorna & Richard, Stella & Peter Mankin, Mary Hudson, John & Jill Seaton, Cliff Horseman, Michael Mallinson, Brian Fairfield, Susan Hyde rep Riverhead Hall, Emma, Jo, Catherine & Sandy rep Riverhead Hall.