Ruth L. Brown of Manchester, New Jersey died January 13 at age 96. She was born in Kearny, New Jersey in 1921 to Frederick Brown and Laura Jensen Brown. She worked at Prudential Insurance from her graduation from the secretarial program at Kearny High School to her retirement 42 years later. She was at the time of her retirement executive secretary to the head of the bond training unit. She initially retired to North Arlington and in the 1990s moved to Silver Woods in Manchester. She was an avid traveler with friends and family especially enjoying going to the beach. One of her favorite hobbies was fishing. She was predeceased by her longtime companion, Wesley Pikkert. She is survived by her cousins Jean Bennett, Red Bank, NJ, Scott ,Cindy and Ryan Bennett of Mountainside, NJ, Todd, Paula, Dylan, Katie, Harrison, and Mac of Annapolis, Maryland, Drew, Jennifer, Brooke, Chelsea, Caroline and Miranda of Yardley, Pennsylvania and Betsy Cronin of Bay Head, NJ. She was buried in Arlington Cemetery in Kearny in the Jensen family plot.