Ruth (Salvini) DiSanto, age 92 passed away October 10th after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.  The third of three children, Ruth was born in Chester, MA September 9, 1925 to Joseph and Mary (Besancon) Salvini.  Ruth graduated class valedictorian in 1942 from Chester High School.  After graduation, Ruth worked at Cortland Grinding Wheel Co. as a laboratory technician where she met her first husband, Otto Ebelt.  They were married in June 1947.  She was a communicant and a member of the Ladies’ Sodality of St. John’s Church and a member of the Chester Community Health Center where she served as Secretary/Treasurer.  She was also an active member or the Chester Historical Committee in its earlier years.  She was a lifetime member of Chester Alumni Association and always enjoyed the high school reunions.  Ruth started working at the Chester post office as a part time clerk in 1972 and rose to Chester’s Post Master, retiring in September 1987.  After being a widow for 20 years, Ruth re-met her high school sweetheart, Benjamin DiSanto in Westfield.  They were married in October 1991 and lived in Westfield until Ruth’s passing. Besides her parents, Ruth is predeceased by her daughter Lisa Anne (1959), her first husband, Otto K. Ebelt, (1971) as well as her brother and sister-in-law Francis & Henrietta Salvini, her sister and brother-in-law Grace & Tauno Kemppainen, and her son-in-law Brian Beckius.  Ruth is survived by her second husband, Benjamin DiSanto, her daughter Gretchen Beckius Gauthier and husband George Gauthier of Groton, CT.  Ruth is also survived by her only grandchild, Sarah Beckius Welchel, her husband Matthew and their daughter Amelia of Mystic, CT.  Ruth was blessed to have had many wonderful step children: Michael & Jenny DiSanto, Thomas & Christine DiSanto, Jane DiSanto, Christopher DiSanto, Jonathan & Mary Ann DiSanto, and David & Sheila (DiSanto) Kopatz and all their family members. Calling hours will be Friday 10:30-11:30AM at Firtion-Adams Funeral Home, Westfield, MA followed by a funeral mass at noon at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bartlett St. Westfield.  Ruth will be laid to rest next to Otto in St. Thomas Cemetery in Huntington, MA.  In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Chester Historical Society, 15 Middlefield Street, Chester, MA 01011.

 Service Information