Elaine Rutt Patermo, 82

    Elaine Rutt Patermo passed away peacefully on February 28, 2025, in Dallas, TX.
    Born in Milford, DE, Elaine was the beloved daughter of Margaret and Reuben Rutt.
    She graduated as salutatorian of the Milford High School Class of 1960 and later earned her degree from Goldey Beacom College. Elaine worked and retired as an executive administrative assistant at the University of Delaware’s Dover campus.
    She was a dedicated member of the Slaughter Neck Methodist Church as a youth and Christ The King Church choir later in life. She was a CCD teacher, and a substitute teacher, contributing significantly to the Haddonfield, NJ community. Elaine was a volunteer at Haddonfield Memorial Library and Modern Maturity Center in Dover, and together with her husband Joseph was an active member of Mended Hearts.
    Elaine is survived by her brothers John Rutt (Dover, DE) and David Rutt (Milford, DE); her sons Brien (Dallas, TX) and Eric (Glastonbury, CT); and her grandchildren Joshua, Maya, Dominic, and Ariana.
    She was predeceased by her husband Joseph Patermo and brother Jerry Rutt.
    Elaine was known for her kindness to everyone she met, her intelligence, resilience, and passion for reading and traveling. Above all, she was a loving mother and grandmother who cherished her family deeply.
   A viewing will be held on March 18th, 2025, 10:00 AM at The Funeral Home of Michael J. Ambruso, 1175 South State St., Dover DE 19901. The service will follow at 11:00 AM with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery at 12:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association (https://ahatribute.funraise.org/fundraiser/elaine-patermo) or American Heart Association, 131 Continental Dr., Suite 407 Newark, DE. 19713. Condolences may be shared via www.ambruso.com
    Elaine’s legacy of love and resilience will live on in the hearts of those she touched. “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”