Mrs. Ruth Amrein

Let us remember with thanksgiving the life and ministry of Ruth Amrein, 102, of Vernon, CT, who died on February 16, 2017.

She was born on February 21, 1914 at Columbia Station, OH, the daughter of Benjamin and Achsah Crawford. She graduated from both Allegheny College and The Meadville Conservatory of Music in 1935.

Ruth was the widow of Rev. Arthur Amrein, who served the New York and New York East Conferences for 37 years from 1937 until his retirement in 1974. Churches he served were: Central Islip, NY; Plainville, CT; Oyster Bay, NY; First Methodist in Richmond Hill, NY; Wethersfield, CT; Simsbury, CT; and Milford, CT. In his retirement he served as a supply pastor in Andes and Pleasant Valley, NY. Ruth and her husband also served as Methodist missionaries in India from 1941 to 1947. Rev. Amrein died in 1976.

Ruth was an accomplished pianist and organist and served Methodist churches in various capacities. She was a member of Literacy Volunteers and enjoyed seeing her students learn to read.

In addition to her husband, Ruth was predeceased by a daughter, Virginia (Amrein) Swartz; a brother, Rev. Arthur Crawford; and a sister, Dr. Margaretta (Crawford) Patterson. She is survived by her children, Nancy Storms and her husband, Peter Storms, of Rocky Hill, CT; Martha Hayes and her husband, William Hayes, of Stafford Springs, CT; Dr. Philip Amrein and his wife, Karen Donelan, of Belmont, MA; and her son-in-law Dennis Swartz and his wife, Carole Swartz, of Orleans, MA. Ruth leaves 11 grandchildren: Mark Storms, Douglas Storms, Karen Lehr, Catherine Sheetz, Christine Trask, Thomas Swartz, Sarah Hayes, Everett Hayes, Stephen Amrein, Leslie Amrein and Katherine Amrein. She also leaves four step-grandchildren: Kim Chong, Shane Hayes, Elson Blunt and Jennifer Richter; and 19 great-grandchildren.

A private funeral service was held on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at the Wethersfield United Methodist Church in Wethersfield, CT. A memorial service will be scheduled in April. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to a charity of your choice in Ruth’s name.