Ruth Arena, 1930–2026, worked with Waltham historical society and museum

Ruth M. (Uberti) Arena, of Hudson, New Hampshire, formerly of Waltham, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 at Fairview Senior Living in Hudson, NH. She was 95.

Ruth was born in Waltham on Sep. 11, 1930, a daughter of the late Joseph and Grace (Purves) Uberti. She was a lifelong Waltham resident and a graduate of Waltham High School and the Chandler Business School in Boston.

Ruth was a lifelong member of Saint Jude Parish and had been a member of the Ladies Sodality. She worked for years as an administrative assistant with Gore Place in Waltham and for the Belmont, Watertown and Waltham historical societies and at the Waltham Museum before retiring.

The wife of the late Pasquale W. ‘Pat’ Arena, she was the mother of the late John Arena and a sister of the late Sr. Immaculata, MICM (Evelyn Uberti) and Margaret Baker.

She leaves her children, Patricia Arena of Newton, Jeanne Melnick (Paul) of Center Harbor, New Hampshire, Carolyn Harms (Craig) of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Joseph Arena (Maureen) of Hudson, New Hampshire, James Arena of Framingham and Thomas Arena (Renée) of Waltham; her grandchildren, Daniel, David, Brandon, Garrett, Rebecca, Brianna, Joseph, Justin, Alex and Matthew; her great-grandchildren, Brayden, Bode, Sonny, Jesse and Jack; and several nieces, nephews and their families.

Family and friends honored and remembered Ruth’s life by gathering for an afternoon wake in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, Jan. 4, and again at 9:30 a.m. on Monday morning, Jan. 5 before leaving in procession to St. Jude’s Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham, where her funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.