52 Ancestors in 2015: #9: Ruth E. Robertson

Ruth Elouise Robertson

Week 9: Close to Home

Ruth Elouise Robertson is my grandmother.  She was born on May 19th, 1923 to Thomas King Robertson and Ruth Fredia Oestreich.  She spent a portion of her early childhood in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.  Ruth married Vincent Arthur Haskins on September 4, 1943. They lived in Marion, New York until their deaths. Ruth died on September 8, 2001, just 17 days after I found out I was pregnant with their first great grandchild. Vincent passed away 7 months later on March 29, 2002 just 15 days before the birth of their first great grandchild. They had four children.  Scott Haskins, born on their anniversary in 1953 passed away on June 15, 2002. The other three children are still living.

I grew up spending a lot of time with my grandmother, and for so many reasons is my closest ancestor.  I lived next door to her for a good chunk of my childhood and even my early adulthood. She wasn't like most grandma's - she didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen baking cookies or doing other grandma type things. She was just fun to be around and to spend time talking to.  One of my favorite things I used to do with her was sit on her front porch and watch the world go by.  I could sit there for hours - I only wish I'd had my love of genealogy while I was sitting there.

My grandmother also had a great sense of style, and we just so happened to be the same size.  I loved her shoes -- she had the cutest flats and sneakers.  I used to borrow them all the time.  I couldn't borrow my mom's because her foot is 3 sizes smaller than mine but Grandma had better shoes anyway.  She had a classic, traditional taste in clothes, wearing many neutrals, especially creams and beige.  I would borrow sweaters and blouses.  I remember that one of her favorite stores was Casual Corner.

My grandmother never had grey hair.  It was always a reddish color.  She would go every Thursday morning to the hair dresser to get it done.  She would wear a hair net to protect it when she slept.  I remember trying on her jewelry and playing at her dressing table with her purses, gloves and perfume.  She had a distinct smell and for awhile after her death I would catch of whiff of something that had been hers and I could smell her. When she died I was given her emerald ring - it was our birth stone.  We were both born in May.

I would watch soap operas with my Grandma.  She was devoted to all of them on NBC.   My favorite to watch with her was the Young and the Restless.  One of her favorite songs was "Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho. She loved Canadian Geese and whenever I see them I think of her.  Spring is almost here which means they will be on their way back north, occasionally just one or two will fly over our houses - it's almost like they are watching over us!

Me and My Grandma.