Ruth (Omi) Laufer Gallant - age: 87
(December 17, 1928 to April 09, 2016
)
Resident of
Saco, Maine
Visitation Information:
At her request, cremation and arrangements will be by Dennett, Pate, and Craig Funeral Home 365 Main St, Saco, Maine. A memorial visitation has been scheduled for Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 11 AM until 1PM at the Dennett, Craig & Pate funeral home 365 Main St, Saco. Interment will follow at 1:00PM at the family plot at Laurel Hill, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband, Arthur. Father Robinson of Trinity Episcopal Church officiating.
For those wishing to make memorial contributions in her memory please consider the Thornton Academy Athletic Fund c/o Brittany Brown 438 Main St, Saco, Maine 04072
Obituary:
Ruth E. (Laufer) Gallant (87)
Ruth Elizabeth Gallant, Omi to those who loved her, died Saturday, April 9, 2016 at the Gosnell House in Scarborough lovingly surrounded by her four children, eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Ruth was born on December 17, 1928 in Germany, and was raised in southwestern Germany during the height of World War II. She experienced many of the horrors of war and lost her own father during that time. Many are the accounts that she shared of encounters with allied soldiers, bombing raids, blackouts, rationing, and friends who went missing during local skirmishes.
She married an American soldier, Arthur T. Gallant, on May 3, 1958, and moved to Maine. Although she did not speak English, she managed to make friends in the Biddeford, Maine area while her husband attended college courses. She was naturalized in 1965, and as a new United States citizen she eagerly learned to speak the language, acquired a driver’s license, and raised four children at the family home in Saco.
Proudly receiving her GED in 1973, she enjoyed serving as a substitute teacher at Thornton Academy for a number of years. Omi later worked alongside her husband in the fuel oil business that they bought in 1984, until selling in 1997. She was an avid sports fan, and loved attending her grandchildren’s sporting events at Thornton Academy in her later years.
Omi is survived by four children, Thomas Gallant and his wife Kim of Arundel, Vera Kalagias and her husband Michael of Saco, Michael of Saco, and Peter and his wife Monique of Arundel. In addition, she was beloved by her eight grandchildren, Mary (and husband Philip Berthiaume), Rebecca (and husband Adam Bermingham), Thomas, Peter, Katherine, Gregory, Collin, and Kelly, sisters Helga and Vera of Steinwenden, Germany, many nieces and nephews and was just beginning to get to know her great-grandchildren, Liam and Nora.
She is predeceased by Arthur, her husband of 57 years, and Travis, her grandson.
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