Ruth Marie Melnick – North Belle Vernon

Ruth Marie Melnick, 74, of North Belle Vernon, went to be with the Lord on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. A daughter of the late Wadeck and Mary Bachinski Melnick, she was born in Belle Vernon on Feb. 15, 1947. A lifelong resident of Belle Vernon, Ruth was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church, where she belonged to the choir for many years. She volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul and was active with her former colleagues from Belle Area School District. Ruth received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from California State Teachers College and taught English for Belle Vernon Area School District in the junior high and high school for over 40 years. During her tenure at Belle Vernon, she sponsored the cheerleaders and Pep Club. She enjoyed reading, bowling, cooking classes and a great card game. One of life’s highlights for Ruth was her trip to Italy. Survivors include her niece and goddaughter, Jennifer C. (Bob) Carota of Belle Vernon; a sister-in-law, Dorothy “JoAnn” Melnick of Belle Vernon; lifelong best friends, Sandy and Sam Cover of Belle Vernon, Christine Giannamore of Webster and Denise Shusta of Monongahela. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Walter and Edward Melnick. Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY INC., 700 Broad Ave., Belle Vernon, 724-929-5300, www.FergusonFuneralHomeandCrematory.com. A blessing will be held in the funeral home at 11:30 a.m. Thursday followed by a funeral Mass at St. Sebastian R.C. Church at noon with the Rev. Michael J. Crookston as celebrant. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.