Ruth Andrus

Ruth Andrus, 83, of Nashua, NH passed unexpectedly, Sunday, June 21, 2026, at St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua, NH attended by family. She was born in Great Barrington, MA on August 24, 1942 and was the daughter of the late Franklin Ellsworth Andrus and Mabel (Stalker) Andrus.

Upon graduating from Searles High School (Class of 1960), she worked briefly before getting married and starting her family in 1961. Over the next 10 years, while raising her four children, Ruth lived in many states along the east coast including Georgia and Florida. She eventually settled in Salem, NH where sheworked multiple jobs to support her family. She worked for 20 years at Laidlaw Environmental Services as a Customer Service Representative. She was most proud of the Special Business program certificate she earned from New Hampshire College in 1981. After retiring in 2001, Ruth lived briefly in Marshalltown, IA, with her son Lewis, before moving permanently to New Hampshire.

In 2008, Ruth moved to the Ahepa 35 Manor Senior Living facility in Nashua, NH. Ruth was very active, baking cakes for fellow residents’ birthdays, organizing holiday meals in the common room and serving as the treasurer of the Ahepa 35 Manor Resident Association. She also organized and ran “The Bone Builders”, an exercise program and received a certificate for being the “Muffin Queen”. Ruth was also a devoted member and Deacon of the Nashua Presbyterian Church in Nashua.

Ruth was an avid baker and reader of mysteries, especially mysteries that included recipes. She loved to travel, going on several cruises and adventuring to Germany and Scotland. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and her kindness extended beyond the family, always lending a hand or a listening ear to friends and neighbors.

In addition to her parents, Ruth was predeceased by her sister Lois (Andrus) Curtiss and her husband Harold Curtiss, her brother Thomas Andrus and his wife Patricia Andrus, and her beloved fiancé, Donald Salmon.

Ruth is survived by her four children, Cherie (Wester) Salzmann of Fort Myers, FL, Kenneth Wester and his wife Cindy Wester of Litchfield, Alan Wester of Nashua and Lewis Wester of Nashua; her six grandchildren, Hannah Wester and her partnerDave Palomba of Manchester, Ethan Wester and his wife Rachel Wester of Manchester, Evan Wester and his wife Samantha of Lubbock, TX, Craig Wester and his wife Julia Wester of Springfield, MA, Dakota Wester and Dylan Wester of Nashua; and her first great grandchild Leonidas (Leo) Wester of Lubbock, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 5th at 2pm at the Nashua Presbyterian Church at 1010 W. Hollis Street in Nashua. After the service, the family will be hosting a Celebration of Life reception in the Community Room at the Ahepa 35 Manor in Nashua.