AUBURN — Ruth Feit Rosen died peacefully in her sleep on March 7, at the Androscoggin Hospice House at age 97.

Ruth was the daughter of Hyman and Bessie Sprung Feit and was born in New York, N.Y., in 1916. She grew up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and the Bronx. She graduated from Morris High School. She spent fun-filled summers as a teen with cousins in Monticello, N.Y. She married Milton Rosen in 1938, and they raised two children, Ira and Bonnie in NYC. After spending years as a homemaker, Ruth worked for New York Life and then the New York City Department of Welfare, where she was a successful caseworker working with challenging families. She and Milton retired to King’s Point at Delray Beach, Fla. in 1978.

Ruth’s love of learning emerged later in life when she had opportunities to take classes at various places including the New School for Social Research and King’s Point. When Milton died in 1988, Ruth continued to develop her interests and connect with others. She was politically active in the Democratic Party in her community. She also cherished trips to local gardens and museums with her botanical group. She traveled to places like Scotland and Hawaii and everywhere in between. Her love of other cultures was evident in her frequent trips to movies and ethnic restaurants.

Ruth lived independently until moving to Schooner Estates in Auburn in 2010, where she was able to form new friendships and be close to her son and daughter-in-law, as well as visit frequently with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ruth was very proud of her children and committed to her family. Her grandchildren were honored to have their grandmother attend all of their college graduations and weddings. She was delighted to have lived to meet all 12 of her great-grandchildren. She will be remembered for her sharp mind, her openness to diversity, her caring heart, her story-telling and her endless love of her family, art, history, food and interior decorating. Her quick wit, sense of humor, her chutzpah and advice were valued by all who knew her. Her role as the family historian and keeper of Yiddish traditions will be missed.

She is survived by her son, Ira and his wife, Gretchen, of Auburn; her daughter, Bonnie and her husband, Tom Dombeck, of Kaneohe, Hawaii; her grandchildren, Serena (Rosen) and John O’Brien of Minnesota, Dana (Rosen) and Scott Annear of Auburn, Heidi (Dombeck) and Steve McBain of Lima, Peru, Andrew and Shelley Rosen of South Portland and Daniel and Elizabeth Dombeck of Illinois; and her 12 great-grandchildren, Olivia, John (Finn) and Isabel O’Brien, Alexandra, Delaney and Sydney Annear, Zoey and Kyle McBain, Robin and Wren Rosen and Riley and Carter Dombeck.

Ruth was predeceased by her two brothers, Louis and Jack Feit; her sister, Sylvia Weinstein; and her life-long best friend and closest cousin, Goldie Kluger.

Ruth’s family would like to thank Dr. Lee, the staff at CMMC and the Androscoggin Hospice House for making Ruth’s final days so comfortable for her and her family. Ruth developed several close connections with her caring and respectful home health aides and nurses from AHHS over the past year. And finally, we want to thank the staff and residents at Schooner who were wonderfully dedicated to enhancing Ruth’s years in Maine.