Ruth Bernard

Ruth Bernard

January 28, 1926 – October 18, 2024

Ruth Bernard of Waterport left this earth peacefully at home in the early hours of October 18. She was in her 99th year. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Ruth became a child refugee in England when WWII broke out. Her family eventually reunited in New York City. She married there and in the 1960’s moved to Toronto where she resided for many years before retiring to the peaceful countryside of western New York. 

Ruth was a creative spirit who had a particular interest in movement and dance therapy. She was a charter member of the American Dance Therapy Association. She was the founder and director of the Center of Movement in Toronto. She wrote poetry avidly and has several published volumes to her name. Her poems also appeared regularly in Verse Afire, a publication of the Ontario Poetry Society. In 2006 she published her selected memoirs, Dances of Remembrance.

 Ruth was known as a person of exceptional generosity. She loved preparing and sharing food with friends and family. She lived according to the Biblical principle of “Welcoming the Stranger” and was a friend and mentor to people of manybackgrounds. She was one of the founding members of World Life Institute, a non-denominational non-profit organization with branches in Toronto and New York State. She was a spiritual seeker all her life, firmly planted in the monotheistic tradition.

Ruth is survived by her daughter Jacqueline Bernard of Waterport, and her brother Bernard Feldman of Hollywood, Florida, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and a large spiritual family. Many thanks go out to the wonderful team of home health aides for their exemplary care of Ruth during the last few years.

Ruth was interred in Waterport at the Town of Carlton Cemetery, according to tradition. Donations may be made to one of the following organizations in memory of Ruth Bernard: World Life Institute at https://www.worldlife.institute/donate, HIAS refugee support organization at https://act.hias.org/page/53286/donate/1or to Roswell Park Cancer Institute at https://www.roswellpark.org/

“The Lord is my God; the Lord is One.”

Ruth’s arrangements have been entrusted to the Cooper Funeral Home 215 W. Center St. Medina, NY.

To share a special memory of Ruth, visit www.cooperfuneralhome.com.