Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Lea Tauriello

City Team Ministry President Patrick Robertson kisses his friend Ruth Ina Matheson during her 100th birthday party.

Native Los Gatan celebrated her 100th birthday Dec. 12

By Shari Kaplan

As do the people who live in them, towns and cities change a great deal in 100 years, as Los Gatos native Ruth Ina Matheson can attest from personal experience.

On Dec. 12, Matheson celebrated her 100th birthday with many friends at a party and program held at the First Baptist Community Church on Daves Avenue.

Born in 1897 at 21 Tait Ave., Matheson was the middle child among nine siblings. Her father, David Sutherland Matheson, worked for the railroad as a section foreman on the Santa Cruz to Oakland run.

Louise Van Meter, for whom the elementary school is named, was Matheson's first-grade teacher. Matheson graduated the eigth grade in 1912 and afterward began working as a housekeeper for private families. She went back to school in her mid-30s; she attended Biola University for four years and graduated in 1940.

About that same time, Matheson met "Auntie May" McLean at the First Baptist Community Church of Los Gatos. She began working for McLean in 1941 with the Arbutus Youth Association at the Summit Road Ranch and also at Camp Lake Tahoe.

Matheson did laundry, cooking, housekeeping and dishwashing. "Princess Wishy Washy" was the nickname the young boys at Camp Lake Tahoe gave her. In addition to working more than 40 years for McLean, Matheson also taught Sunday school at the Baptist Church.

Her party at the church included prayers and scripture readings, a history of her work with Arbutus Youth Association, singing hymns and Christmas carols--including the hymn O Love That Will Not Let Me Go, written by Matheson's great-grandfather--a reading of Matheson's poetry and a slide show of her with Arbutus youth. The traditional cake and ice cream was served.

Matheson resides at The Inn at Willow Glen, a retirement community in San Jose.

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