Ruth (Lippmann Bernstein) Bookey

HALLOWELL – Ruth (Lippmann Bernstein) Bookey, 93, died in Augusta on May 7, 2024, after a brief hospitalization and a rich, full life. She was a bright light in the world.

She was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on Sept. 5, 1930, to Werner and Traute Lippmann. Her family left Germany because of Hitler, but they couldn’t all go at the same time. Her father came to the United States first, while Ruth, her sister Margrit, and their mother stayed with grandparents in Berlin. By 1939, the whole family lived in Detroit, Mich. and moved in 1944 to Bangor, Maine.

Ruth’s father was a psychiatrist at Bangor State Hospital and later at Togus VA Hospital. Her mother and sister studied and practiced art, as did Ruth. Ruth graduated from Bangor High School and then the University of Maine at Orono, where she majored in English and studied art with Vincent Hartgen.

After graduation, she and her first husband, Seldon Bernstein, moved to Providence where she studied at the Rhode Island School of Design while he worked on his PhD at Brown University.

Ruth’s lifelong commitment to art, music, and creativity was impressive. In addition to drawing, painting, and developing quite a skill with computer art, Ruth had a gorgeous contralto voice and sang as a soloist in many concerts and for several churches, especially for the All Souls Unitarian church in Augusta. She studied piano, violin, viola de gamba, and recorder and attended summer music camp for over twenty years with Ted Bookey, where they both perfected their skills on various recorders. Ruth sang with the Kennebec Valley Chorus and Colby College Glee Club and then with several other women in a barbershop harmony group called “The Notables,” which was founded and led by Addie Breen, former resident at Granite Hill Estates.

Ruth may have been the best kindergarten teacher ever! She taught in West Gardiner for 24 years and was a nursery school teacher for faculty children at Colby for four years.

Ruth and Ted Bookey, her second husband, produced, promoted, wrote, and taught poetry at Senior College for 12 years, where they inspired scores of students to become poets. They also started the poetry readings at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, where numerous poets participated for many years.

Ruth and Ted built their dream home on Maranacook Lake in Readfield. They lived in this house until moving to Granite Hill Estates retirement community in 2015. Ruth served on several committees and made many friends at Granite Hill, where she continued to paint, sing, write, and spread goodwill around the community with her sunshiny, outgoing personality.

Ruth was predeceased by her parents; her sister; and both of her husbands. She is survived by her daughter, Nicola (Nikki) Bernstein of Berlin, Germany; her stepdaughter, Eve Highstreet of Philadelphia; her brother-in-law, Stephen Bernstein, and other Bernstein relatives Aaron, Johna and Eric; her cousin Michael Adler of England and his children Alun and John; and a vast number of devoted friends and former colleagues.

Her family is grateful to her longterm caretakers Betty and Michelle and the entire staff at Granite Hill Estates for making her last years comfortable and full of joy and laughter.

A memorial service will be held on August 17, 2024 at 1 p.m.. at Granite Hill Estates in Hallowell.

Arrangements are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 62 Bowdoin Street, Winthrop, where memories, condolences and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of our website at http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.