CAPE ELIZABETH – Ruth P. O’Connor Gildart, 91, of Cape Elizabeth, passed away Sept. 26 at Maine Medical Center after a short illness.

Gildart was born in Portland June 13, 1924, the daughter of Martin J. and B. Helen O’Connor. She grew up in the West End of Portland and graduated from Sacred Heart Grammar School and Portland High School. She married Charles A. Gildart Jr. on May 29, 1948, at Sacred Heart Church; together they raised two sons.

Gildart enjoyed being a homemaker, and she also worked at Martin’s Food – later Hannaford – and Paul’s on Congress Street when her sons were older. She was a longtime communicant of St. Dominic’s Church in Portland.

The Gildarts were able to make a trip to Ireland and had fond memories of seeing where their ancestors came from. Later on they built a cottage on Peaks Island and spent many happy days there. Her family meant the world to Gildart, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her later years she enjoyed going to beano at the South Portland Community Center and at St. Pius in Portland.

Besides her parents, Gildart was predeceased by her husband, Charlie, her brother, Martin O’Connor, and sisters, Catherine Brown and Winnifred Nixon.

She is survived by her sister, Mary Pauline Strout; two sons, Kevin P. Gildart and his wife, Janet, of Cape Elizabeth and Dennis M. Gildart and his wife, Jane, of Yarmouth; six grandchildren, Matthew Gildart and his wife, Alle, Meghan Nappi and her husband, Josh, William Gildart and his wife, Miranda, Patrick Gildart and his wife, Lori, and Shannon Gildart and Joanna Gildart; six great-grandchildren, Kira and Shea Gildart, Ronan and Isla Nappi, Kaelan and Ryan Gildart; and a number of nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial was held Sept. 30 at Holy Cross Church in South Portland.

The family would like to thank Cape Elizabeth Rescue and the emergency department staff at Maine Medical Center.