Ruth Downing

Ruth ( Fraboni) Downing, age 88, of Stratford, passed away on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. Mrs. Downing was born May 18, 1932, in Bridgeport, daughter of the late Dominic Fraboni and the late Mary Fraboni Giangrasso and was the loving wife of Richard J. Downing, Sr. for 60 years. Ruth was a graduate of Stratford High School ( Magna Cum Laude) and attended the University of Bridgeport. She was a great mother and friend. She never met a stranger, loved her family and friends dearly and could always be relied on for her sound advice no matter what life threw at you. Before her retirement in 2012, Ruth was a successful real estate agent at William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. For Ruth, real estate was more than a career, it was a passion. She earned her GRI certification early in her career and possessed a nurturing and loyal spirit seeking to find the perfect home for each client. As a result, she built lasting friendships with many of them. She was active in her community. She was involved in the PTA, was a volunteer reading tutor and worked the election polls for many years. She was also an avid Yankee, Patriots and UCONN Women’s Basketball fan. Ruth is survived by her children, Mary and Richard, many nieces, nephews and cousins. Friends may visit with her family on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 from 4: 00 p. m. to 7: 00 p. m. in the William R. McDonald Funeral Home, 2591 Main St., Stratford, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 11: 00 a. m. at Saint Margaret’s Shrine at, 2523 Park Ave., Bridgeport. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth’s memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105, www.stjude.org. For additional information or to share a message of condolence, visit www.wrmcdonaldfuneralhome.com.