CURRENT CELEBRATIONS

Eleanor Ruehmling

She saw a hundred Christmases and a hundred Thanksgivings; Eleanor knew the warmth of family for every one of them. Two weeks from one hundred years on the planet, she stayed sharp the whole way through. She would only leave her home as a lady; perfectly attired, the right amount of jewelry, dress and heels with her hair and makeup just so. No need for a walker for she feared it would make her look old. Her community came to rely on her involvement: twice president of the board of education for Riverside School District, Treasurer of the Historical Society, Custodian of Funds for Riverside High School (just recently retiring), Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary, and a member of Soroptimist International. She was dedicated to her faith and gave much of her time and energy to St. Peter’s Church: President and Treasurer of the Altar and Rosary Society, instrumental on the Bereavement Committee and she worked the carnival every year. Of course, her involvement dated back to her earliest days when she was a proud member of Riverside High School Class of ’43. Her work career spanned decades. Fresh out of High School she worked for Bell Telephone in Camden before she took some years off to raise her girls. She’d return to the workforce starting as a bookkeeper for First National Bank of Riverside. Through its many iterations and name changes she’d become a teller, assistant manager, branch manager and eventually assistant vice president for the bank. Of course, she never strayed too far from her real calling: wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She would find her way over to her daughter’s home daily to help get the grands off to school and drop everything to tend to their every need. Eleanor took it to the next level with the great grands; apples of her eye, they could do no wrong. Christmas was definitely her holiday (seven fish dinner with her whole family gathered under her roof). She travelled the world on many an excursion with her husband and her later years found her on many a cruise. Her favorite trip was to Italy, visiting with her family (she was the daughter of Italian immigrants) and attending midnight Christmas Mass with Pope John Paul II. If her T.V. was on, she’d be checking out Jeopardy and she collected birds from all over the world.
She caught the eye of a handsome Marine returning for World War II when she attended a dance at St. Casimir. Eleanor and the late Dutch (Herman) would share a 47-year marriage blessed by two daughters, Janet Ruehmling and Mary-Jo (Lawrence) Horton; and later by grandchildren, Jessica (Christopher) Spraker and Joseph (Alexandra) Horton and great grandchildren, Wesley, Rhett and there’s a Wyatt on the way. She is survived by her brother, Frank DiVece and was the daughter of Frank and Mary DiVice. She is pre-deceased by her siblings Joseph and Daniel DiVice.
Come celebrate 99.9 great years Tuesday April1, 8-10 a.m. at Sweeney Funeral Home, 337 Bridgeboro Street, Riverside. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 103 4th Street, Riverton, 08077. Interment, St. Peter Cemetery, Riverside. In lieu of flowers, donations to Sacred Heart Church will be appreciated.