Ruth Daniels (nee Cochenet) of Egg Harbor Township, NJ, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at the age of 98. Ruth was born on July 26, 1924 in Racine, Wisconsin, to Zenta and Oscar Cochenet. She was an identical twin and she and her sister Ruby were inseparable until Ruby’s death in 2015. Ruth came to Atlantic City with her family as a young girl, when her father was assigned as an engineer in the construction of the Atlantic City Coast Guard station. Ruth was a graduate of Atlantic City High School, class of 1942, where she met her future husband, John Daniels. After high school, Ruth worked as a chemist for Atlantic City Electric. Ruth and John were married upon John’s return from service in the United States Army Air Corp and spent 67 wonderful years together until John’s death in 2014. Ruth and John lived for many years, and raised their children Marlene and Jim, in Atlantic City’s Ducktown neighborhood, and later lived for many years in Ventnor Heights. Ruth worked in several roles in Atlantic City Public Schools, with her favorite being as a teacher’s aide at Brighton Avenue School, where she loved helping kids who just needed that little bit of extra individual help to excel. She also loved to bake, and there was always a nice banana cake in the kitchen and a pot of coffee ready for anybody stopping by. Ruth and Ruby also loved watching Phillies baseball, and I’m sure they’ll be watching the Phils in the World Series from above. In their long and healthy retirement, she and John had many adventures, including several completely ad-hoc, months-long driving trips to, and around, Florida, escaping the New Jersey winters.
Ruth was predeceased by her mother and father, her husband John, her brother Ben, her twin sister Ruby, her son-in-law William Hinshillwood, and her niece Margo Pomeroy. She is survived by her sister Rebecca Bontempo and her husband Richard Mersitz of Boca Raton, FL; her daughter Marlene Hinshillwood of Harleysville, PA; her son Jim and his wife Donna of Northfield, NJ; grandchildren William Hinshillwood and his wife Terri, John Daniels and Marie Daniels and her fiancé Ryan D’Agostino; 2 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Ruth’s family would like to thank the incredible staff at Somers Place for filling her later years with care and love. We would also like to thank the staff at Ascend Hospice for their amazing care and support.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ruth’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).
Services will be private.