Isobel Ingalls Ricketts, 94, of Leonardtown, Maryland passed away on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at her home with her husband at her side.
Born in Leonardtown on February 3, 1930, she was the loving daughter of Edgar Terry Ingalls and Agnes Marie Griffin Ingalls.
Isobel was a St. Mary’s County native but moved to Potomac, MD with her family where she graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in 1947. She continued her education at George Washington College. On June 15, 1952, she married the love of her life Martel Ricketts in a double wedding ceremony that they shared with their identical twins. Her identical twin sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Ingalls Ricketts married Martel’s twin brother, C. Mackall Ricketts. Twins married twins. They celebrated over 72 years of marriage. Together the two sets of twins shared a harmonious lifetime of friendship and enjoyed every moment of their unique bond together. When the four moved back to Leonardtown together in 1995, they even owned a 26-foot Bayliner together named the “ISOBETH”.
Isobel began working at a young age. At 15 she began modelling for Woodward and Lothrop and Garfinkel’s. In her adult years she worked for Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) as an Index operator. Following that, she was an instructional aide at Beverly Farms Elementary School in Rockville, MD. To this day many remember her as one of “the playground ladies”. Her last job was as an instructional aide at Banneker Elementary. Isobel loved children and enjoyed working with them. She shared those careers with her twin sister, Betty. Next came her volunteer work in the Leonardtown community. As a member of the St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary she was involved in many events that supported the hospital. She was also very active in assisting residents at the St. Mary’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Isobel made her family her top priority. She chose to focus on her children and their needs rather than returning to school for her teaching credentials. In 1994, the twin couples appeared on the Phil Donahue Show, Australian Show, and CBS This Morning. They also made a television commercial for Sears. Then the two women appeared on the Jenny Jones Show. Their story was also covered by Scott Simon on National Public Radio.
Her hobbies included collecting twin antique dolls, designing and crafting cloth dolls, and was a member of the Dollology Club of Washington D.C. She also loved to sew. Once retired, the four twins travelled abroad to England, Italy, Scotland, Greece, Germany, Ireland, and France. They made eight trips to Europe with the Maryland Alumni Association and later spent five years cruising the Mississippi and Ohio with River Barge Excursions.
In addition to her husband Marty, Isobel is survived by her three children, Byron Ricketts (Judy), Tara Hofmann, Darrel Ricketts (Courtney) eight grandchildren, Hannah Hofmann, Brendon Ricketts, Ashleigh Hofmann Bouchard, Ayme Ricketts, Charles “Chad” Hofmann, Austin Grey Hofmann, K. Payden Ricketts, S. Dane Ricketts, and six great grandchildren, Nathaniel Watson, Luca Watson, Zane Bouchard, Savannah Bouchard, Belle Ricketts, and Cameron “Cam” Ricketts.
She is preceded in death by her twin sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Ingalls Ricketts, her brother-in-law, Clifford Mackall Ricketts and brother, Huntley H. Ingalls.
Family will receive friends for Isobel’s Life Celebration on Monday, December 16, 2024 from 10:30AM to 11:30AM, with a service at 11:30AM at Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Interment will be at Potomac United Methodist Church Cemetery, Potomac, MD on a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made in Isobel’s name to the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 299, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or the Alzheimers Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave. Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Condolences may be left for the family at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
