Ruth M. Byorkman, age 90, of Quincy, passed peacefully on October 31, 2017 at the Hancock Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.  Ruth was born in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, the daughter of Clara Shepherd Muir and James Muir, and grew up in Milton.  Ruth graduated from Milton High School class of 1945.  Ruth met the late Harry T. Byorkman in 1941 at the Wollaston Yacht Club in Quincy.  Harry kept a sailboat at the yacht club and they would sail Quincy Bay together.  Harry served in the Navy and finished college before they married in 1952.  They were married 64 years before Harry’s death on October 28, 2016.  Ruth is survived by her sons, Stephen Byorkman and his wife Jan of Weymouth, and Bruce Byorkman and his wife Sylvia of Braintree.  She is also survived by two granddaughters, Kathryn Byorkman Gauthier and her husband Phil of Worcester, and Rachel Byorkman of Braintree.   Ruth worked as a bookkeeper at Walter Baker Chocolate in Dorchester prior to raising her family.  Ruth was a kind and gentle soul.  In her last years, people would often describe her as “sweet”.  She cared deeply about her family and would often take her young sons to walk the Freedom Trail in Boston, hike in the Blue Hills to pick blueberries, visit the Children’s Museum, go bowling, or play Monopoly on Sunday afternoon.  She would often accompany Harry on business trips and bring the “boys".  Together they would explore many new places.   Ruth was most comfortable at home.  She was a wonderful baker and listened to Gus Saunders' cooking show on the radio daily.  She was best known for her butter cake served at everyone’s birthday and her Swedish Spritz cookies.  When her sons were in college, she would write to one or the other daily while she had her lunch at the kitchen table.  She loved to sew and knit and taught both of her granddaughters how to knit.  She would love to hear about Kathryn’s knitting projects. In later years Ruth and Harry traveled all over the world taking many wonderful trips together.   Ruth loved watching her granddaughters grow up and was delighted when they visited.  After two sons, she finally had girls.  Ruth was a 50 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star.  Ruth was also a long time member of Bethany Congregational Church in Quincy and served as a deaconess for many years. A memorial service for Ruth and Harry will be held Saturday, November 18, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Peck Funeral Home, ‪516 Washington Street, Braintree, MA.  Family and friends are invited to gather prior to the service beginning at 10:00 a.m. Rather than flowers, the family requests that donations in Ruth's memory be sent to the Hancock Park Staff Appreciation Fund, ‪164 Parkingway, Quincy, MA  02169 or to the Perkins School for the Blind, ‪175 North Beacon Street, Watertown, MA  02472. 

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