A 100th Birthday and the 1907 Stage Fort Park Dedication Connection

 

My grandmother, Ruth Hinderliter, will be celebrating her 100th birthday on March 20, 2012. Yes, the first day of Spring.   As she  points out, she was born the year the Titanic went down.  Her oldest great grandson, Robert Chermely, takes great pleasure in reminding her that she was born the same year Fenway Park was built;  and that she has a great,great grand son named Fenway!

     But the story that connects Ruth to Gloucester started in 1907: the  1907 dedication at the rock  in Stage Fort Park. Her parents were both there that day.   Her father, Robert Nygaard, was in port from a ship from Norway.  Her  mother, Lynetta Nowe, was from Gloucester.   Robert offered Lynetta a peanut and that is how the romance began.  They eventually married, moved to Norway and started their family.

      Ruth is the oldest of the couple’s 10 children. She and two of her siblings are still  living.   Ruth told her niece, Nancy Olson, of Gloucester that she  hoped to live to 100 years to fulfill Ruth’s sister and Nancy’s mother,  Elsie McCallum’s  dream of doing so.  Elsie passed on in 2002 at the age of 86.   I am sharing a photo  of Ruth and myself (Carolyn Benga) taken last year for her 99th birthday.   I will update everyone on Good Morning Gloucester with photos of the big 100th Celebration (would love to have a photo of her holding the Good Morning Gloucester sticker).  It will be in Pittsburgh PA surrounded by  6  generations of her family and many dear friends  .   I am enclosing her address if anyone wishes to send her cards:  Ruth Hinderliter,  21 Hickory St.  Apt 211  Pittsburgh PA 15223. 

Just a quick add  on:  many summers and holidays were spent in Gloucester by Ruth and her husband,  Jim who passed in 1990.  They both lived here after his retiremnt  in the 1960′s.  Ruth worked at Addison Gilbert Hospital as a cook.   Ruth has been a supporter of the Cape Ann Animal Aid  for many years.