Ruthann Carver passed away peacefully at her home in Melbourne, Florida, on Thursday, May 21, following a courageous two-year battle with metastatic colon cancer.

Born on August 15, 1942, in Pontiac, Michigan, Ruthann was the daughter of Fern (Render) Putnam and Carl Putnam. She attended Pontiac Central High School and married her first husband, Douglas Waite, in 1959. Together they raised three children — Doug II, Tim, and Rachel. Widowed at just 33, with three young children and an unfinished home in the country, she faced life’s hardships with remarkable strength and determination.

In the early 1980s, Ruthann met Gary Carver, and they married in 1981. Their 30 years together were filled with travel, the joy of remodeling a second home in northern Michigan, and the deep fulfillment of blending their families. His passing brought another profound loss, yet she continued forward with the resilience that defined her life.

Ruthann retired from the U.S. Postal Service in Rochester, Michigan, after more than 30 years of service. She was proud to have been the first female rural postal carrier in Cadillac, Michigan — a role in which her dedication earned the respect of her colleagues and paved the way for the women who followed.

In 2017, she traded Michigan winters for the sunshine of Melbourne, Florida. She quickly built a community of friends and spent her later years traveling, volunteering, decorating her home, and enjoying the companionship of those around her.

Her faith was the foundation of her life. Ruthann was an active member of Calvary Chapel in West Melbourne, where she volunteered in the Food Pantry, the school cafeteria, and the annual Tim Tebow Night to Shine event. Even through the false hopes and bitter disappointments of her illness, her trust in God never wavered. She made tremendous sacrifices for her family throughout her life and was richly blessed in return.

Brave, hardworking, and unwaveringly determined, Ruthann will be deeply missed by the many friends and family who loved her.

She is survived by her children: Douglas Waite II of Linden, MI; Timothy (Teresa) Waite of Traverse City, MI; and Rachel (Kenneth) Davey of Edgewater, FL.

Her grandchildren: Sarah (Jacob) Buell of Flint, MI; Ann Marie (Kevin) Michaels of Clio, MI; Douglas Waite III of Flint, MI; Piper (Cameron) Ebe of Ada, MI; Mia (Randal) Owen of Rockford, MI; and Eilonwy Bledsoe of Hinsdale, IL.

Her great-grandchildren: Alison Waite, Alice Waite, Gavin Waite, Maeve Ebe, Nolan Ebe, Emerson Owen, and Luke Michaels.

Her siblings: Carl (Mary Anne) Putnam Jr. of Sylvan Lake, MI, and Gail Squire of Pontiac, MI.

She was predeceased by her husband Douglas Waite (1976), her husband Gary Carver (2011), her parents Carl Putnam (1981), Fern Putnam (2008) and brother-in-law Robert Squire (2021).

Visitation will begin at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home on July 11, 2026 at 10:00 am followed by the service at 2:00. Following the service, we will meet at the Pine Lake Cemetery in West Bloomfield for the interment of the cremains. There will be dinner afterward at a location to be determined.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors Waterford -5391 Highland Rd, Waterford Twp, MI 48327

Pine Lake Cemetery - 4351 Middlebelt Road West Bloomfield, Michigan 48322