“Don’t let age define you. Be active and take an interest in things.”
This is the secret to longevity according to Brenthurst resident Ruth Place who is celebrating her 100th birthday today (Friday).
The centenarian has lived in her Prince George Avenue home for the past 72 years. When asked how she feels about the milestone birthday, Ruth told the Brakpan Herald, “It doesn’t feel any different.”
Ruth was born in Johannesburg on August 11, 1923, but grew up in Namibia.
She returned to South Africa during World War Two and completed her last six months of schooling as a boarder at a convent in Springs.
After matriculating, she moved to Johannesburg where she completed a three-year college course in home economics.
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She then went on to teach the subject at Kingsmead College for four years.
Her teaching career was followed by a four-year period working as a personal assistant to the general manager of the United Building Society.
In August 1950, she met her future husband William Herbert Archibald Place at a dance.
Known as Bert, he and Ruth were engaged a few months later. The couple married on April 14, 1951 and moved to Brakpan in August that year.
Bert, an architect who worked for the Brakpan Municipality, designed their home.
Ruth remembers it being one of only a few houses in the area at the time and not the busy thoroughfare it is today.
“There was nothing here. I couldn’t see myself living here,” Ruth remembers with a smile.
Ruth and Bert had four children, Sidney (70), Jean (68), Godfrey (66) and Caroline (63).
“We laugh about being her pensioner children,” said Jean, who takes care of her mom.
Jean returned to her childhood home in 2008 to help look after her dad. Bert died at the age of 94 on December 25, 2010. Jean has stayed with her mom since.
“They had the most fabulous marriage and worked fantastically together,” said Jean of her parents.
Jean describes her childhood as wonderful with Ruth being a stay-at-home mom.
“She used her home economics skills amazingly. She sewed and baked and was involved in all the school parent teacher associations,” she said.
As the wife of a military veteran, who was also the son of a Johannesburg pioneer, Ruth was involved in the Mothwa (Women’s Auxiliary of the Moth ex-serviceman’s organisation) and the Rand Pioneers Association.
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A congregant of the St Peter and St Paul Anglican Church in Springs for 25 years, Ruth sang in the church choir.
Ruth was also an excellent public speaker and an avid reader with an immense love for books.
“She has lovely books which we are re-reading together. We do about an hour of reading every day,” said Jean.
“We do everything together. Mom still helps with baking and gardening. She has always been busy and is still very active.”
Ruth’s other constant companion is her Burmese cat Katinka, with whom she is absolutely smitten.
“She is just the apple of her eye,” said Jean.
Ruth has four grandchildren Dion (41), Gareth (38), Douglas (39) and Helen (37), and five great-grandchildren, ranging in ages from three to 12.
Other than poor eyesight, Ruth has very little health problems for her age and even recently overcame a bout of Covid. She has treated arthritis in her hands through diet and is a firm believer in healthy food and nutrition.
Her stand-out memories are her travels around the world. She has trotted the globe to destinations such as New Zealand, America and England, as well as returning to the home of her youth, Namibia.
Ruth will be celebrating her birthday with a series of jubilant events. This includes an outing to a nursery, where she and Jean are members of a garden club, as well as visits with friends and neighbours, and a family dinner.
“Her mindset is still young. Mom’s had a very full life and we are blessed,” said Jean.
