Tavistock’s Ruth Albrecht celebrates 90th birthday surrounded by family and friends

Tavistock’s Ruth Albrecht was overwhelmed by the turnout of relatives, friends and well-wishers who gathered at Quehl’s Restaurant on Sunday, Aug. 16, to help her celebrate her 90th birthday. Gary West photo

By Gary West

Family and friends gathered at Quehl’s Restaurant in Tavistock on Sunday, Aug. 16, for a surprise open house celebrating Ruth Albrecht’s 90th birthday.

Born Aug. 16, 1936, Albrecht was raised on the 10th Line of East Zorra-Tavistock by her parents, Clara and Clarence Wettlaufer. She grew up with two younger brothers, Bob and Bill, both of whom predeceased her.

Albrecht attended SS No. 8 Public School on Maplewood Sideroad before attending Woodstock Collegiate Institute.

She married Lester Albrecht on July 14, 1956. After briefly living in an apartment in Tavistock, the couple purchased a farm on the 13th Line north of Hickson in 1957, where they raised dairy cattle and grew mixed crops.

Together, Ruth and Lester Albrecht raised five children – Lyle (Kelly), Bev (Pete) Bell, Roger (Kathy), Deb (Danny) Schurink and Pete (Deana). Today, the family includes 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, with another great-grandchild expected this fall.

Farm life kept Ruth Albrecht busy. Along with helping in the fields and barn, she tended a large garden, canned and preserved food, baked and made sure those working during harvest had a full meal – complete with dessert.

Ruth and Lester Albrecht still found time for fun, playing for many years in the Tavistock mixed dart league at the Tavistock Legion and regularly attending local dances.

After selling the farm, the couple moved to Tavistock in October 1993, where Ruth Albrecht continues to live. Lester Albrecht died in May 2001 following a lengthy illness.

Ruth Albrecht has also maintained a lifelong passion for baking and crafts. She began exhibiting at the Tavistock Fall Fair at just nine years old with encouragement from her teacher and mentor, Ruth Rosenberg. Over the years, she also entered exhibits at the Woodstock, Embro and Wellesley fairs.

At 90, she continues entering preserves, crocheting and knitting in the Tavistock Fall Fair and is already working on entries for this year.

Ruth Albrecht worked at the Food-Rite Chinese restaurant in Woodstock and spent years decorating wedding and birthday cakes and baking for special occasions. She later worked with Quehl’s catering and in the restaurant and kitchen, while also supplying preserves, baking and crafts for Quehl’s General Store.

Though she has slowed down in recent years, Ruth Albrecht continues making holiday gift baskets filled with her preserves, knitting, crocheting and tending her flower gardens. She is also an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan and enjoys attending her great-grandchildren’s hockey and baseball games.

Among those helping Ruth Albrecht celebrate Sunday were her sisters-in-law, Annie Mae Albrecht and Ruth Ann Wettlaufer, along with extended family, longtime friends and many others she has met throughout her life.