Tuesday was a historic day for Ruth Ladd - she turned 105

• Ruth Ladd greets Daniel Leber, her pen pal from St. Patrick’s School

Ruth Ladd, a resident at PineRidge, greets Daniel Leber, her pen pal from St. Patrick’s School. Leber has been writing to Ladd since the beginning of the school year but had no idea she was over a century old until he received an invitation to her birthday party, held Saturday. See page 5A of the April 30 print edition of the Star-Observer for more photos and Ladd’s life story. Photo by Margaret A. Ontl
• Ruth Ladd as a young woman

Ruth Ladd remembers when women could not vote. Photo submitted

Talk about it

By all accounts, the afternoon celebrating Ruth Ladd’s 105th birthday was a success. The party was held a couple of days early, but it meant that her relatives could attend the event, held on Saturday afternoon in the PineRidge community room.

The family traveled from Madison, California, Ohio and Utah to share her day. Her actual birthday was Tuesday, April 28. Along with family, she was greeted by fellow residents, Hudson community members and staff members.

One special visitor Ruth was very familiar with but had never met was Daniel Leber, her pen pal from St. Patrick School. The young man, whose birthday is just one day apart from Ladd’s, turned 10 on Monday. Leber had no idea what Ladd’s age was until he and his mother received an invitation to her 105th birthday party.

Ladd has offered Leber an assortment of advice in her letters, telling him how important it is to stay in school and to go for it if there is something he wants to achieve.

“I had a pen pal last year but they didn’t write much,” said Ladd. “Daniel writes all the time and tells me what is going on in his life.”

“I thought it was really amazing,” said Leber, of Ladd’s age. “You would never know it by her letters.”

It was an extraordinary meeting. Leber, Ladd and his mother Sere visited for a long time.

Ladd, is still playing bridge, bingo and working crossword puzzles. Her son Chuck Ladd and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Hudson.

See page 5A of the April 30 print edition of the Star-Observer for more photos and Ladd’s life story.

Tags: community, hudson, ruth_ladd, 105th, birthday