Ruth Schrumpf will celebrate her 100th birthday July 25.

She was born July 25, 1918, and has lived most of her life in Niles.   

Ruth’s father, Gotlieb “George” Kiemle, was a logging camp cook. Marie, her mother, gave birth to Ruth in 1918 at Snohomish, Washington. When the logging camp was burned, George relocated his family to Everett, Washington, where he opened the Delta Lunch near the Great Northern Railroad yard. 

Railroaders patronized the restaurant and Marie rented the upstairs rooms to railroaders.  Ruth and her sister, Marge, waited tables and helped their dad bake pies and lots of them, using Washington apples. Marge especially liked that their home had a piano in their living room. Ruth and Marge played baseball in a church field across the street. 

In 1937, Ruth graduated from Everett High School. Soon she was on her way to live with her sister, Louise, on Howard Street in Niles while attending South Bend School of Business.  Francis Drolet, owner of Drolet’s Drug Store, interviewed Ruth and hired her as his secretary.

Walt Schrumpf, a neighbor, started giving Ruth rides to and from work in his spiffy Ford roadster.  Soon, they were married on Aug. 9, 1941.  Their new home was an apartment on Fifth Street. 

After Pearl Harbor, Walt joined the U. S. Army and Ruth returned to Everett where she lived with her parents and helped run the Delta Lunch.  During this time, she gave birth to a son, Robert, and later to the couple’s daughter, Tina.

She eventually returned to Niles and Ruth and Walt moved into their brand new house on Sheffield Avenue in Niles. The year was 1947. With both her kids in school, Ruth went to work in the bindery department at Simplicity Pattern.  After 18 years, and making many friends at Simplicity, she retired in the 1970s.

Being retired gave Ruth and Walt an opportunity to travel, and they jumped at it by purchasing their first travel trailer.  They kept the little house on Sheffield Avenue, but traveled many months each year.  Ruth became quite good at taking photos with film cameras and produced 33 scrapbooks of their life and travels. At the age of 90, Walt passed away.

An artist and baker, Ruth is known for her many talents. Ruth still lives at the Chalet of Niles. She said she likes the friendly people, and she shares her scrapbooks with friends and family. Those who know her wished her a happy birthday.