Obituary: Ruth Beaudin, 1933-2023 

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• Courtesy
• Ruth Beaudin

Ruth Beaudin, adored mother, grandmother and wife, died at home in Shelburne on November 16, 2023. She was 90 years old.

Ruth was born in Boston on January 5, 1933, to Paul and Fanny (Green) Kaplan. She graduated from Jeremiah E. Burke High School in 1950 and received a bachelor’s degree from Forsyth Dental School in 1952.

Ruth was a gifted athlete, an excellent tennis player and golfer. She played bridge and mah-jongg and, in later years, was a wiz at Wii bowling. Ruth loved the sun and the beach, and, while water was a theme throughout her life, she preferred to be by the water, rather than in it.

As a young girl, Ruth spent her summers at Nantasket Beach on the south shore of Boston. It was there that she met her first husband, David Binch, with whom she had two daughters, Sheryl and Beth. The family moved to Vermont in 1960, where they frequently boated on Lake Champlain.

In 1998, Ruth married Marcel Beaudin, a native Vermonter and competitive sailor. Together, they traveled around the world, including numerous sailing trips in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. On board, as in life, Ruth was a first-rate first mate.

Ruth worked briefly as a dental hygienist and, in later years, worked at Preston’s and Lippa’s jewelry stores in Burlington. She volunteered at her children’s schools, was a member of the Ohavi Zedek Hadassah and served on the association board at the Landings in South Burlington, where she lived on the shores of Lake Champlain for 30 years.

Ruth had an EQ like no other. She was an astute judge of character and a valuable sounding board for friends and family members, quietly offering sage advice, always without an ounce of judgment. Even as her memory faded, she was able to offer profound pearls of wisdom in the moment.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 25 years, Marcel Beaudin; her daughters, Sheryl Shaker (Ted) and Beth Alpert; five grandchildren, Molly, Grace, and Will Shaker, and Sam and Rebecca Alpert; and four stepchildren, Adam Beaudin, Rebecca Beaudin (Christopher), Paul Beaudin (Wendy) and Jeb Beaudin. Also surviving are her brother’s children, Barry Kaplan and Arleen Noller (Rob); and two step-grandchildren, Jonah and Aaron Beaudin.

A private burial was held at Shelburne Village Cemetery.

Contributions in Ruth’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or American Heart Association.