Ruth Walbridge Godfrey

died October 10, 2007 at the age of 96 at Messenger House on Bainbridge Island. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 23, 1911 to John Tuthill Walbridge and Mabel Thornton Walbridge. She attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, as well as the Parsons School of Design in New York City. At a time when most women didn't travel alone, she drove around four Midwestern states, visiting high schools as a representative of MacMurray College.During World War II, she worked in Porto Rico as a civilian censor where she met and married Decker Frederick Schlick Godfrey. He was an electrical engineer who worked on power plants associated with nuclear reactors, and his job took the couple and their growing family all over the Midwest. After his death in 1959, she returned to Jacksonville to take training as a teacher of the deaf.She taught at the Illinois School for the Deaf until her retirement. In 1988, she moved to Seattle to be with her daughter Debora. and moved to Bainbridge Island in 1994 when Debora moved there. Her love and support was invaluable to Debora when her children were growing up, particularly after Debora's husband Arne died. Ruth and her dog Jake lived together until 2006, when ill health made it impossible for her to live without help. Jake, in the company of Debora or her husband Charles Walbridge, continued to visit her almost daily, including the day of her death.Ruth Godfrey was a Lady in the finest sense of the word, with an innate dignity and grace that she brought to everything she did. She faced adversity with a wry sense of humor, and was unfailingly polite to everyone she met. Even to the end, she always asked "What can I do for you?" She was a dedicated watcher of the news, and, even at 96 years old, her views of current events were always insightful and interesting.She is survived by her brother John T. Walbridge, Jr. of Escanaba, Michigan, son Decker Frederick Godfrey, Jr., of Centennial, Colorado, daughter Debora Godfrey Reinert of Bainbridge Island, and grandchildren David and Decker III ("Tres") Godfrey, Heather Godfrey Burke, and Ian, Matthew, and Dorothea Reinert.Memorial services are pending. Memorial contributions can be made to Furrytale Farm on Bainbridge Island.Arrangements through Cook Family Funeral Home.