With a life well lived, we announce the peaceful passing of Ruth Nicolaci on July 2, 2023, at her home with her family present.
Born in Highland Park, NJ and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she was the daughter of the late Rudolph and Alice (Hauske) Hiller, and the widow of John F. Nicolaci. She was educated at the Berkeley Institute in New York and Wheaton College in Norton, MA.
Survivors include three children, Lisa Knowles Murray and her husband Chris of Middletown, RI, Brenda K. Hughes and her partner Roger Fortier of Somerset, and George B. Knowles IV and his wife Erin of Fairhaven; two stepchildren, Ann Nicolaci Labb and her partner Gary Dancosse of Manchester, CT and John Nicolaci, Jr. of Tampa, FL, seven grandchildren, Jessica Tiffany Hughes, Ryan Slater Hughes, George B. Knowles V, Emma Ruth Knowles, Amanda Phillips Murray, Eve Nicole Cleary and Mark Nicolas Labb; and three great-grandchildren, Kennedy, Nico and Delia.
Over the years, Mrs. Nicolaci served as a director of the following organizations: the New Bedford Day Nursery for fifty years until her death, the Compass Bank (now Santander) for fifteen years, the New Bedford Chamber of Commerce, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the Massachusetts Nurserymen’s Association and the Marion Garden Group. She was the plant lady on radio WBSM’s Plant Talk program for many years. She loved being with family, gardening, piloting their plane with her late husband, and playing tournament croquet with the Marion Mallet Club. She was involved in the horticultural field as part owner with her former husband of G. Bourne Knowles and Co., in Fairhaven.
In lieu of flowers, please send a floral bouquet to someone you love or gift to the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Hagerstown, Maryland in memory of John F. Nicolaci. A private family burial will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Marion. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
Love to remember Ruth’s laughter. Whether it was about herself or someone else. No matter the subject, Ruth was always to be respected. She was very knowledgeable about a lot of things, passionate to a fault, and difficult to move from her beliefs once she had taken a position. As a friend, I loved Ruth like a sister. I admired her strengths and accepted her beautiful, unfiltered, display of humanity and generosity, even when she stroked the cats’ fur the wrong way. And like a sister I sympathized with her when she ran aground from unintended consequences. I grew up in an Italian household where forgiveness was an everyday occurrence. God Bless you, Ruth. Save for me a spot near you because afterlife will be a lot more fun– irreverent maybe, but definitely more enjoyable!