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Ruth Arlene Salaveius McCleary Prouty was a first-generation Lithuanian American, the daughter of Rose Kaseta and Alex Salaveius who were both born in Lithuania.
She was born in Milford, MA on April 22, 1926, and lived on Franklin Farms owned by her parents, on Elm Street, Franklin, MA until 1945. On February 10, 1945, she married Richard William McCleary, and they bought the house next door at 126 Elm Street for $1500. She lived there with her family until 1979.
She was widowed on July 31, 1976, and married Walter Prouty in 1978. She and Walter sold the house on Elm Street after building a house in Marstons Mills, MA in 1979. Ruth survived Walter and continued to live there until this past year when she went to live under the care of her daughter, Linda Brenneman, in November 2023 in Acworth, NH with whom she resided at the time of her passing on November 19, 2024.
Ruth is survived by a son, Richard Allen McCleary, of Carver, MA; a daughter, Linda Arlene McCleary Brenneman and her fiancé, Thomas Allen, of Ackworth, NH; her grandchildren, Christopher McCleary of Florida, Pauline Matlock and husband Robert, of Whitman, MA, Bryce McCleary of Carver, MA, Sean McCleary and wife Andrea, of Carver, MA, Jesse Brenneman and his wife Ashley, of Salem, MA, Alexander Brenneman and his life partner Jenn Gibson of Dover, MA; and great-grandchildren, Annika, Ashley, Addisyn, Christopher, Danielle, Haley, Zachary, Magdalena, Nichole, Lexi and Crystal.
Ruth was pre-deceased by four brothers, Adolf, Joseph, Frank and Benny Salaveius; husband, Richard William McCleary; husband, Walter F. Prouty; daughter-in-law Lynn Cheryl McCleary; grandson Mark McCleary; and granddaughter, Brandy-Lynn McCleary Clark.
Ruth graduated from Franklin High School in 1944 during WWII. She worked at the woolen mills in Medway, MA while her husband was deployed oversees. She attended Fisher Jr. College for 2 years, receiving a business executive secretarial degree. They bought the house at 126 Elm Street, MA upon his return from the Navy.
Her first secretarial job was with a lawyer, Attorney Dana, in Franklin, MA. However, she had to stop working to care for her sickly mother, who passed in 1944. After her mom’s death she married and had two children and stayed home for a few years to care for them.
Ruth’s Massachusetts work history includes the woolen mills in Medway; secretarial work with attorney Dana in Franklin; Pondville State Hospital in Norfolk; the Natick Laboratories US Army Installation in Natick as a GS4 Secretary to the Commander; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; and finally, the National Seashore facility in Wellfleet until she retired.
She was very involved in the efforts supporting Lithuanian freedom from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics throughout many years which was acquired in 1991. She was instrumental in supporting her daughter, Linda Brenneman, in going to Lithuania to teach English once they established their freedom in 1992. She followed up by helping bring a student, Asta Apsegiene, from Lithuania to the US to live with Linda for her senior year. A life-long relationship was established. She also spent time traveling to Lithuania to visit and support relatives who have also continued to be in touch throughout the years.
While living on the Cape she was a member of the Cape Cod Horticultural Society. She also went dancing most weeks at local dance clubs both on Cape Cod and in Florida. Hobbies included gardening and square dancing. She loved the beach and her winter home in Florida.
Ruth lived a vigorous lifestyle and loved her children, dancing, her flowers and vegetable gardens, her parrot, Chico, and the beach. She loved life and lived it to the fullest.
Write-up from her Fisher Jr. College yearbook 1945 "Let the world slide by, what care I?"
Her avocation ... learning not to cook like the Navy ... puts her heart in what she does, and generally does it quickly ... engaged on Thursday, married on Sunday ... why should good things wait? . . petite and childlike ... loves to dance, as exhibited at the Kenmore . . "Leisure" is her middle name. Degree - Finishing Secretarial
Ruth will be buried in the Melrose Cemetery, Brockton, MA, in the spring of 2025 at a date and time to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Mrs. Prouty’s memory to Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, (www.hcsservices.org) PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431.
