Longtime resident Ruth Cwynar passes away at 96

DOWNEY - Ruth May Cwynar, a longtime resident of Downey, passed away Nov. 1 at the Posada Whittier assisted living facility where she resided for the last six years. She was 96.She was the daughter of John Aspinwall and Mary Toward of North Attleboro, Mass. She was the wife of Water A. Cwynar, who died in 2006. She is survived by several nieces, Elaine R. Cwynar of Randolph, Mass., Roberta T. Clapper of Norwich, Conn., Virginia Durham of Lost River, W.V. and Frances Vitale of Springfield, Va; nephews Walter F. Cwynar of Moosup, Conn. and Lura Dunn of Colorado; grandnieces, Jennifer Clapper and Haley Cwynar; and cousin Mary O'Meara of Bedford, Mass. She was predeceased by a nephew, Paul Cwynar, grand-nephew, Johnny Clapper, and cousin, Florence Peckham. Ruth worked in Providence, R.I. where she experienced firsthand the 1938 hurricane, then moved to East Hartford, Conn., where she worked at Liggett's Pharmacy for over a decade as head bookkeeper. She married Walter in 1946, and after a trip to California, they cedied to migrate to Downey permanently in 1951. Services will be held Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 9-10:30 a.m. at Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary, followed by burial at 1:30 p.m. at Riverside National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to Gerniet Healthcare Hospice in Downey.

********** Published: Nov. 7, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 30