MERIDEN - Ruth M. Fink, wife of the late Allan Fink, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at the age of 98. She was born on Sept. 15, 1918, in Albany, N.Y., the daughter of the late Peter and Loretto (Gutmann) Moseley. Ruth earned a bachelor's degree in social science from Douglass College (now part of Rutgers University). In her early years following college she performed social work with the unemployed in Fairfield. She married Allan, an aeronautical engineer, during World War II. Later, after his early death in 1956, she began substitute teaching in Meriden schools and later earned her master's degree in education from Central Connecticut State College. She taught kindergarten and first grade at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School for 20 years, retiring in 1983. Ruth stayed very active after retirement well into her 90s. She was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery Program and drove cancer patients to their appointments, and received numerous cancer society awards. She was an inspirational role model to others afflicted with the disease for surviving non-Hodgkins lymphoma and breast cancer. Ruth was an excellent swimmer, loved salt water swimming at Cape May, Cape Cod, and Long Island Sound along the Connecticut shoreline, and continued to swim at the Meriden YMCA until the age of 95. She took great pride in taking care of her lawn on Highland Avenue and was humorously nicknamed the ''Lawn Ranger'' by her friend and neighbor, the late Mrs. Jennie Roccapriore. She is survived by two daughters, Barbara Fink, of New York, N.Y., and Nancy Hindes and her husband, Charles Hindes, of Coupeville, Wash.; a son, Dr. David Fink and his wife, Barbara Simko, of Melrose, Mass.; four grandchildren, Eric Hindes and his wife, Kristin Kotkas, Dr. Andrea Hindes, Allison Fink, and Victor Fink; and a great-granddaughter, Ellis Hindes. She was predeceased by a sister, Loretto Rankin. A memorial service honoring Ruth's life will be held on Thursday, May 11, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Bradley Home, 320 Colony St., Meriden.The Fink family would like to thank the fine staff at the Bradley Home for Ruth's wonderful care during her stay at her second Meriden home. Ruth's burial next to her husband will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth's memory may be made to the Meriden YMCA, 110 W. Main St., Meriden, CT 06451. The Beecher & Bennett-Flatow Funeral Home in Meriden is in charge of the arrangements.