Ruth L. Shannon

Ruth L. Shannon, age 96, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 22, 2019.

Ruth was born to Henry and Venora Lawson on June 7, 1923 in Spartanburg, SC. She grew up as the middle child of three and attended Spartanburg High School. In 1940, she met Thomas Shannon while he was stationed in Camp Croft, SC, they married shortly thereafter. In 1943, after Tom was deployed to North Africa and Italy, Ruth wanted to play her part in the war effort and in 1943, enlisted in the United States Army’s Woman’s Army Corp (WAC).

Upon the conclusion of the war, Ruth was honorably discharged and was decorated with the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal, American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. She and Tom returned to Tom’s home state of New Jersey where they raised their family in Saddle Brook.

Ruth was a free spirit and a bit of a nonconformist. She had a voracious appetite for knowledge and read extensively on just about every subject under the sun. She had numerous hobbies such as writing, reading, stamp and coin collecting, scrabble, bird watching and quilt making. But most of all Ruth loved her family.

Ruth was the loving mother of: Kathy and Steven Kipnis of Wayne, NJ; Andrea and Rocco Mazzo of Jackson, NJ, Thomas of Knoxville, TN; much-loved grandmother of: JoAnna and Benjamin Mendez, Michael and Annette Shannon, Anthony Inzerillo, Rebecca and David Schubart, Hank Sherhandt, Raymond and Cora Inzerillo, Jennifer Sherhandt, Christopher and Lori Shannon, Alex Kipnis, Caroline Kipnis; Rocco and Sylvia Mazzo, Robert and Colleen Mazzo and Michelle and Dave Womack; cherished great-grandmother of Elizabeth, Benjamin, Michael, Carmine, Vincent, Rocco and Dimitri. She was predeceased by her husband Tom, daughter Barbara Cornfield, brother Henry Lawson, sister Sarah Lussardi and daughter-in-law Nancy Shannon.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Ruth’s name are asked to consider the following charities:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Memorials Processing

501 St. Jude Place

Memphis, TN 38105-9959

www.stjude.org

Wayne Animal Shelter,

201 Pompton Plains Crossroad

Wayne, NJ 07470