Ruth Couch turned 100 on Saturday and family and friends turned out to celebrate the occasion at West Shore Health Center in Warwick. Of course she walked from her room to the party down the hall. …
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Ruth Couch turned 100 on Saturday and family and friends turned out to celebrate the occasion at West Shore Health Center in Warwick. Of course she walked from her room to the party down the hall. She’s been walking all her life, which her children believe is one reason she has lived to 100. Ruth was born in Bellow Falls, Vt. Ruth lived in different parts of the country before moving to Warwick with her late husband, Harold, in the early ’50s. They owned one of the first houses in Pilgrim Park. She is the mother of three daughters and two sons, 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Before moving into West Shore Health Center, Ruth lived for 33 years at Cranberry Pond apartments. As she never learned to drive, Ruth walked everywhere, including the Warwick Library. She was a “voracious” reader and a speed knitter, says her daughter, Nancy Fish. At the age of 90, she was introduced to the computer and quickly picked up on playing games. Circling Ruth, are friends, sons, daughter, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. In the photo are Judy McCoombs, David Couch, Donna Couch, Nancy Fish, Gary McCoombs, Kathleen McCoombs, Kayla McCoombs, Ben McCoombs, George Panas, Melanie Panas, George Panas III, Emily Panas, Morgan Panas, Dan Collins, Kerri Collins, Kaylee Collins, Brayden Collins, Bob O’Dette, and Mary O’Dette.
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ronruggieri
This story of 100 year old Ruth Couch and her life long walking habit rings completely true for me. I too am a constant walker. Growing up in Washington Park, I took full advantage of my extended back yard, Rogers Williams Park. The world feels, looks , and smells better to the walker. For walking is a truly primal sensuous experience. You THINK more clearly after a long walk. You feel less angry and more constructive about whatever annoys you. You think kinder thoughts about all the people you know.. Walking is not a cure- all but it does make you happier. And happy people are never mean.After a half hour walking in Roger Williams Park I pass the Temple to Music and start hearing Beethoven's" Pastoral symphony " in my ear. Or Igor Stravinsky's " Rite of Spring ", or Vivaldi 's" Four Seasons "..Now and then I daydream about LSD being made legal and available in high quality. But walking is very much a natural high.And walking is friendlier too. There is no walker equivalent of road rage. You feel that the Good Earth belongs to everybody. Will I live to be a hundred ? A gypsy fortune teller at Rocky Point told me I would live to be 120. But a dialectical materialist is-of course- contemptuous of the occult.( rlnruggieri@gmail.com )
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