NORWAY – Ruth M. Bean, 78, of South Paris, died Tuesday, Jan. 15, at Stephens Memorial Hospital.

She was born in Mechanic Falls on Nov. 16, 1929, the daughter of Carl and Florence Keene Fifield. She graduated from Mechanic Falls High School in 1948. She had been employed at B.E. Cole Shoe, Bessey Juice, Paris Manufacturing and retired from the housekeeping department at Stephens Memorial Hospital in 1991.

She liked doing crafts, especially cloth wreaths, playing bingo and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her children, Ron Bean of Oxford, Robert Bean and wife, Bonnie, of Casco, Rodney Bean and wife, Sonja, of Waterford and Rachel Flanders and husband, Joe, of Mechanic Falls; seven grandchildren, Bobby and Jeff Bean, Stacie Bean, Rodney Bean, Heather, Tricia and Kelly Flanders; 10 great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, Alicia Gould and Amy Derochers; two sisters, Margaret Bressette Mechanic and Geneva Hackett, both of Mechanic Falls; a brother, Ivan Fifield of Mechanic Falls; and several nieces and nephews.