NORTH READING — Rufina “Ruby” (Bautista) Batchelder, 94, of North Reading, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family on Friday, August 12, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Donald Batchelder.
Born in Pasay City, Philippines on February 28, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Aurelio and Corazon (Salvador) Bautista.
Ruby worked as a seamstress and a dressmaker for many years. She was a dedicated and loving mother of seven children.
Rufina ”Ruby” Batchelder will always be remembered as a feisty, tenacious, strong woman about the town. Raising five sons and two daughters in the Philippines and uprooting them to the U.S. was no easy feat. A talented dressmaker Ruby quickly became the “go-to” person if you needed a wedding gown, prom gown, Sunday dress made or just an alteration.
Managing and feeding nine people was a daily challenge. However, Ruby always welcomed anyone who needed a meal or a place to live.
Ruby loved parties and dressing up, using any excuse to celebrate on Riverside Drive, and sometimes inviting as many as 100 people. She was an amazing cook. She is responsible for introducing Filipino cuisine to many and is known for her “Pansit.”
Ruby also loved traveling. She proudly displayed her U.S. and world map of her many travels such as her memorable trip to Cuba with her late husband, her many trips to East Asia, and annual winter drives by herself to Las Vegas.
Ruby could never keep still. She would often take trips to Boston just to take an aerobics class with her daughter Jacqueline, travel to many dance performances by her daughter Claire, watch her three older sons play in a band and cheer on her two younger sons at sporting events. She always made time to visit all her grandchildren wherever they may be.
Ruby never missed Sunday Mass and get-togethers at the senior community center with her friends. If you ask anybody to describe Ruby in one word, it would be “tough!” Ruby is the O.G. Warrior! We should all live life like Ruby.
Family members include her seven loving children, Geoffrey, Christopher, Stephen, Claire, Lothar, Jacqueline and Daniel; 20 grandchildren, Sean, Corey, Ian, Julie, David, Sophia, Jovon, Patricia, Donald, Christopher, Gabriel, Lothar, Isaac, Dylan, Calieh, Isabella, Selena, Marcella, Roman and Graciela; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading followed by a brief service at 6:50 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. To leave an online message of condolence please visit: www.croswellfuneralhome.com.
