Ruth Evelyn Bowler Lindegren, 94, passed away peacefully on Sept. 6, 2018 in Greenwich, CT. Born July 21, 1924 in Los Angeles, Calif., Ruth was the daughter of Charles Norman Bowler and Ruth Annette Frick Bowler. Ruth grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from Manual Arts High School in 1942, and received her undergraduate degree at the University of Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1948. During World War II she interrupted her studies and took on several jobs including a riveter for the Lockheed Aircraft Corp. Plant, and a stint with a New York City publisher. While at UCLA she met the love of her life, C. Robert (“Bob”) Lindegren. They were married in 1949 and spent 43 happy years together.
Ruth started her married life in Los Angeles, where her first daughter, Terry Anne was born. Following Bob’s graduation from UCLA’s PhD program in Chemistry, they moved to Wilmington, Delaware where her second daughter, Tina Marie was born. Bob’s career took them back to La Canada, Calif. where Ruth’s third daughter, Mary Louise, was born. Ruth was an active volunteer, serving on Board of the local PTA and YMCA and writing for the local newspaper. She was a gifted cook, developing a recipe for Swedish Limpa muffins, which won her a finalist position in the Pillsbury Bakeoff held in New York City in 1962. After a brief move back to Delaware to work for DuPont, Bob joined Mobile Chemical Company and moved the family to Greenwich, Connecticut, which was home for the last 50 plus years.
Ruth was a beloved elementary school teacher, working at the Cos Cob Elementary and other Greenwich schools, for over 20 years. She received a Master’s degree in Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University. After retiring in 1990, Ruth served as President of the Greenwich Arts Council, on the Board of the Cos Cob Library, and as volunteer at the First Congregational Church. Ruth was an avid bridge player, tennis player and gardener, who loved Tod’s Point especially, entertaining family and friends overlooking the Manhattan Skyline. She was an adventurer, traveling to numerous destinations across multiple continents with both Bob and friends including Israel, up the Nile, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Ruth is survived by two daughters, Terry Anne Wettergreen of Rowayton and Mary Lou Lindegren and her husband Bradley A. Perkins of San Diego, Calif., and five granddaughters, Sonja E. Wettergreen and her husband Paul Sanchez of Carmel, N.Y., Melissa L. Montague and her husband Taylor of Chicago, Ill., Emily B. Perkins of Los Angeles, Calif., Megan K. Horne of Mt. Pleasant, S.C. and Abigail H. Perkins of New Orleans, La. She was predeceased by her daughter, Tina Lindegren Horne, in 2015 and her husband, Bob Lindegren, in 1992.
A memorial service celebrating Ruth’s life will be held on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m., at the First Congregational Church in Old Greenwich, Reverend Carla Dietz officiating. In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations may be made in her name to the Outreach Program at First Church in Old Greenwich, The Friends of Cos Cob Library or the Greenwich Arts Council.
