Ruth Mary Dooley

WELLS – Ruth Mary Dooley, 83, of Wells, died Friday evening, July 2, 2021, at her home in Wells following a brief illness.

Ruth was born July 14, 1937, in Lowell, Mass., the daughter of John and Sara McGrath Dunigan, attended Academy of Notre Dame School in Lowell through High School, and received her degree in education from Rivier College.

A longtime teacher, she taught second grade classes, spending five years in Tewksbury, before teaching in the Chelmsford school system for 25 years.

She was an active member of Holy Spirit Parish, St. Mary’s Church in Wells, where she was a past president of the Sodality, and was a member of the Massachusetts Retired Teachers Association.

Ruth was predeceased by three husbands, Peter Gray, Arthur Dooley and Thomas Rooney, and three brothers, John, Frank and Robert Dunigan.

Survivors include her stepdaughter Marcia Rioux and her husband Anthony, their children Jennifer O’Brien and her husband Kevin, and Tiffany Rioux and her husband Alex Brown, and a great-grandson Liam O’Brien; and nephews and nieces, Mary D’Aquila and her husband Michael, Robert Dunigan, Michael Dunigan , Patricia Krasovec and husband Scott, Timothy Dunigan and wife Lorraine and Anne O’Donovan and husband Dennis; as well as her companion of 12 years Gordon Turpin and his family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Friday, July 9, 2021, at Holy Spirit Parish, St. Mary’s Church, Eldridge Rd, Wells. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Lowell, Mass..

To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Ruth’s Book of Memories Page at http://www.bibberfuneral.com

Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.

Should friends desire,

memorial donations

may be made to:

St Mary’s Food Pantry

236 Eldridge Rd.

Wells ME 04090