Ruth (Toolan) Whiteway

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved mother and grandmother, Ruth Whiteway, 96, on April 23, 2026. May her ashes ride on the wings of a bird.

Born to Francis and Alberta Toolan in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Ruth had two sisters: Mary and Doris. 

She married Curtis Whiteway in April of 1949 and purchased their first house in Melrose, Massachusetts. They had three children: Doreen Chambers, Paula Donaghy, Kerry Edmunds, and Curt Jr. Whiteway. Her family moved to Hollis, New Hampshire, where she raised her four young children. In the mid-1990s they purchased the Unique Cabins in Plainfield, Vermont. When they retired, they sold the cabins and moved to Craftsbury, Vermont.

Ruth worked a variety of jobs including: Court Clerk, teacher’s aide, and bird rehabilitation specialist. Ruth graduated from Johnson State College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Cum laude.

Ruth is survived by her sister Mary Selvoski, her three children: Doreen Chambers, Kerry Edmunds, and Curt Whiteway Jr. Her three grandchildren, Brooke Lorentzen, Jeanne Ball, and Kristain Donaghy, along with her great-grandchild, Kaitlyn Donaghy, survive her. 

After her twin sister Doris passed away, she became the “Other Mother” to her nieces and nephews. She emailed a wide range of friends and family every day for years. She lived to hear from each and everyone of them. We'll miss her emails. 

She is known for her love of the natural world and had a menagerie of pets over the years including an African Dove named “Ku.”

Based on her wishes, there will be no funeral. Ruth will be laid to rest next to her husband at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph, Vermont. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to her favorite wildlife organization: Protect our Wildlife, P.O. Box 3024, Stowe, VT 05672.

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