12/09/2025
Ruth Mazzoni, age 94, of Des Plaines, Illinois passed away December 7th, 2025. Ruth Watson was born on May 27th, 1931, at her family home in Caney, Kentucky. She was the 8th of 9 children born to Mae Goodman and Joseph Minor Watson. The children in order are; Mildred, Burnel, Cecil, Richard, Grover, Mitchel, Everett, Ruth and Jack.
Life in the hills of Eastern Kentucky was simple and hard. Ruth loved Caney and her home deep in the holler at the base of White Oak Hill. Love and family surrounded her since the time of her birth. The next home down the road were the Hattons, Ruth's Aunt and Uncle. Down the road in the other direction was the Adams family. Three of the Watson Boys, Burnel, Cecil & Richard, married three of the Adams girls, Myrtle, Jewel and June.
The days slowly rolled by in Caney and Ruth helped her mother with chores and taking care of all the boys. Ruth also loved taking care of many of her first cousins as the family grew. A love of babies and children would last for the rest of her life. A major change came to Ruth's life just after completion of her second year of High School. Her mother decided to move north to Chicago where most of her sons were already living. The house in Caney needed repairs and she needed money and there were jobs in Chicago. Ruth did not want to leave Caney, but off to Chicago they went.
The family was all together again in the same apartment building. One of Ruth's brothers was able to get her a fake birth certificate, making her old enough to work. Cook county hasn't changed much. It was at this job where the next major change in her life occurred. She met George Young and fell in love. George and Ruth were married on January 9th 1948 and blessed with their first child, Stephen, in November. The start of a new life and family.
Change again came quickly and unexpectedly, George was found to have cancer. They always wanted to have two children and decided to have another child knowing that George would not be there to raise them. Ruth was hoping for a girl and already had a name picked out. Ruth and George welcomed their second boy, Danny, on February 20th, 1954. Shortly after Danny was born, George's condition worsened. Ruth and George decided to move back to her family home in Caney. Grandma Mae could help with the kids and George would be in a VA hospital nearby.
Ruth loved being home, and the boys loved Kentucky and living with their cousin Glen. Time in Kentucky was limited though, and George passed away just days ahead of Ruth's 27th birthday. In March of 1959 her father Joseph Minor passed away and the family again moved north to Chicago to be with the rest of the family. Ruth moved with her boys and mother into a studio apartment on Sheridan Rd., just north of Irving Park Rd. Her brother Mitchel was in the apartment next to her with his wife Sue and their son Glen. At the end of the building was her brother Everett with his wife Peggy and their daughters Sherry & Beth. Steve walked to school with Glen, and Danny with Sherry. Life was starting again.
In the late Summer of 1960 another surprise hit the family. The TV stopped working. Ruth's brother recommended a TV repair man that they used to play baseball with. So, Aldo Mazzoni showed up to fix the family TV. Somehow he was able to get the TV working, though he spent most of the time looking at Ruth. Aldo provided great customer service stopping by regularly to make sure the TV was OK. At some point, he asked her out on a date. Dinner and a movie. The dinner was good, the movie was PSYCHO. Aldo was in luck, Ruth loved scary movies. Ruth and Aldo were married on July 31st, 1962. They were blessed with another boy, Anthony, on July 8th, 1963 and moved into their new home at 81 West Windsor Drive in Des Plaines.
Ruth and Aldo would live here together for the next 58 years. Welcoming grandchildren, Elisa, James, Colette and Mark, and her beloved great-grandchildren, Ember, Miles and Jordan. Many holidays, many dinners, and finally many many years all together.
Private family services will be held. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Ruth's name to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, https://msfocus.org/donate.aspx. Funeral care provided by G.L. Hills Funeral Home. For information, please call 847-699-9003 or visit www.glhillsfuneralhome.com.
