Ruth S. Hirsten

HIRSTEN, Ruth S.
Kalamazoo, Michigan A certificate on the wall of Ruth Hirsten's nursing home room proclaimed her "the most stubborn person in the world." She earned it. Many times during her almost 103 years, she persisted when others might have given up.
Ruth was born on June 11, 1905 in Bremen, Germany, the eldest daughter of Emil and Selma Hirschfeld. As a child, Ruth learned and loved classical music, ballet, opera, theater, poetry and, most of all, languages. At her 100th birthday, she could still speak, sing, and recite poetry in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. In school, she excelled in track and field. As a young adult, she was a ping pong champion in Bremen, skied, rode a motorcycle, and climbed mountains.
In 1928, she married Walter Hirschstein "Hirsten" as American-ized, and in 1932, their daughter Rena Cecile was born. At a time when it was difficult to leave Germany, and almost impossible to enter America, Ruth and Walter found a way to emigrate, arriving in New York City in 1939. Ruth became a U.S. citizen in 1944 and frequently said -- and meant -- "God Bless America." For most of their 41 years together in the U.S., Ruth and Walter lived in the Chicago area, but traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Mexico, South America, Europe and Australia. Most of all, Ruth loved Switzerland, where her mother was born and where she spent time with her grandparents as a young girl. Even after her 80th birthday, Ruth returned to Switzerland four more times with her daughter, Rena. For many years, Ruth worked in the bookkeeping department of the Wilmette State Bank with her good friend, Herta Panzilius. Ruth also worked as a volunteer for Civil Defense, Red Cross, USC, Travelers' Aid Society and the American Cancer Society.
In 1980, Ruth's husband Walter died, but Ruth remained in her home in Wilmette, Illinois. In 1991, Ruth moved to Kalamazoo, to be closer to her daughter and son-in- law. In Kalamazoo, she continued her interest in music, regularly attending Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra concerts. Throughout Ruth's life, but particularly in her later years, she had the comfort of the tremendous time, service and devotion of her daughter, Rena, who visited and cared for Ruth every day.
Ruth Hirsten's stubbornness in this life finally gave out on April 7, 2008. Remaining to celebrate Ruth's life are her daughter, Rena Brooks, three grandsons and their wives, Malcolm Chip and Patricia Brooks, David and Cynthia Brooks, and Robert and Jeannine Brooks, along with seven great-grandchildren, Sally, Katelyn, Anthony, Hannah, Jamie, Maxwell, and Nicholas, cousins Sylvia and Otto Hirschfeld of Hull, England, Florence Mucki Camnitzer of Hamburg, Germany, several second cousins throughout the world, and some dear friends.
According to Ruth's wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation or service. The family will have a private celebration of Ruth's life at a later date in Illinois. Ruth's family is grateful for the wonderful care and support from the hospice team and the staff at the Springs. The family requests that any memorial contributions be sent to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, 222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Arrangements by Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick Street. www.langelands.com 269-343-150