We were very sorry to learn of the death of Ruth Covelli, wife of former Binghamton Philharmonic Music Director John Covelli.

RUTH CECILIA HAYES COVELLI, 86, passed away on January 16, 2024, at Good Shepherd Fairview Home with her beloved husband, John, at her side. She is survived by her sister Bonnie Yohe (John), brothers Stanley (Bud) I. Hayes, Jr. (and friend Karen Scott), Karl Hayes (Jeanne), Philip Hayes (Kathy), sisters Alice McMillian and Larraine Hayes, many nieces, nephews, and cousins including Larry Hayes (Liz), and the Knapp family. Ruth is predeceased by her father, Stanley I. Hayes, Sr., mother, Verna Knapp, and her sister-in-law, Jewel Marie Fenne. Special thanks to Mark (Kara) and Craig (Christine) Fenne.

Ruth was a vivacious spirit, a devoted artist, and a cultural pillar of the Binghamton community throughout her life. She was trained at Roberson Ballet before going on to study at the renowned Balanchine School of American Ballet in NYC (the Press & Sun described her as the first person from the area to be admitted and gave her a full page send off in 1954). She met her husband in an anthropology class at Columbia University and traveled with him throughout Europe in the late 1950s as he conducted the Seventh Army Symphony’s final tour. After a stint in NYC running her own shop on Broadway, Ruth returned to Binghamton where she helped produce the many concerts, dinners, and parties that enriched Binghamton society throughout the 1970s and 80s. Ruth was known for her glamorous outfits, acerbic wit, and a lifelong fascination with astrology. To Ruth, life was a 'grand jete' and now she has taken the next leap in her light’s journey. She will be sorely missed by all who loved her.