Mildred (Hake) Ridenbaugh

Mildred Elizabeth Hake was born on Wednesday, May 1, 1918, in the Willow Grove area just south of the city of New Castle in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. She was the third child born to George Hartman Hake and Margaret Matilda (Doutt) Hake, both of whom were descended from German immigrants.

George and Margaret had met in the New Castle area, were married in December 1914, and lived at several nearby locations before operating a small farm along Hickory Creek in Willow Grove. It was on this farm, owned by Mahoningtown businessman John McMillin, that Mildred began life. About a year and a half later her father divested himself of all his farm animals and implements and moved his family just north into the urban setting of the Mahoningtown. Mahoningtown, once a separate municipality, was a southern neighborhood or ward of New Castle after having been annexed by the city in 1898. The Hake’s rented a house at #24 North Cedar Street.

The Roaring Twenties was generally a time of great economic prosperity and Mildred father George, holding a steady job with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company (PRR), was able to take advantage of that. In 1925 he purchased a farm property back at Willow Grove on the northern bank of Hickory Creek. The farm, about fifty acres in size, was in an area just northwest of Willow Grove in an area now known as Lawrence Junction. Once again the Hake family got back into the farm life.

Mildred grew up on the Hake farm in Willow Grove, located at the end of Million Drive off of Route 18. The farm was generally operated as a poultry farm by her father George. The Hake kids would come to enjoy frolicking in a public swimming hole called the “Stone Wall” and located on Hickory Creek behind their property. The family also attended services at the Madison Avenue Christian Church in Mahoningtown.

Mildred started school in the fall of 1924 at the North Beaver Township Consolidated Schools in Mount Jackson. She had Martha A. Powell as her teacher and among her classmates were Dave Tindall, William Miller, Carl Allen Jr., her cousin Thelma Gwin, and her brother Alvie. Back at home the Hake family continued to grow as George and Margaret had a total of eleven children by 1939. While growing up I’m sure Mildred spent a lot of time with her sisters Dorothy and Charlotte, born about one year before and one year after her respectively. These three sisters would be very close for the rest of their lives.

The Stock Market Crash of October 1929 would have a profound effect on Mildred, then eleven years old, and her siblings. Her father would only work sparingly on the railroad during the next decade of the Great Depression and things were undoubtedly tough on the family. Mildred would have completed the eighth grade in about May 1933 and I am not sure if she went on to attend the North Beaver Township High School (also known as Mount Jackson High School).

Meanwhile, Mildred’s father George, faced with mounting debts, was forced to sell off the Hake farm in about 1937. The Hake family moved into a house at #502 Montgomery Avenue Extension on the extreme southern edge of Mahoningtown.

At about this same time Mildred met her soon-to-be-husband. The story goes that she had left work (at an orphanage) and was waiting for a trolley in New Castle to take her home to Mahoningtown. A young man by the name of Walter R. Ridenbaugh took notice of her and offered her a ride in his car. She refused saying, “I would never take up with a stranger.” He followed the trolley to see where she got off. One thing led to another and they soon went out for ice cream with one of Mildred’s siblings acting as an escort. Walter soon broke things off with his own girlfriend and started romancing Mildred. Walter, who was born to Matthew and Elizabeth Ridenbaugh on November 25, 1910, grew up with his three brothers and three sisters on the south side of New Castle. His father, a long-time employee of the Carnegie Steel Company in New Castle, had died years ago in 1919.

On Monday, October 4, 1937, when Mildred was age nineteen and Walter was twenty-six, they applied for a marriage license at the Lawrence County Courthouse in downtown New Castle. It appears they eloped and two days later they were married in that same courthouse. Justice of the Peace R. J. Reynolds performed the service as Walter’s brother Floyd and his wife Emma stood in as witnesses. The next evening a belated wedding shower was held for the newlywed’s at the home of Walter’s widowed mom Elizabeth at #1209 Finch Street. I believe they initially took up residence in a small bungalow somewhere on the east side of New Castle.

Walter and Mildred soon started a family of their own and their first child, Walter Jr., was born in October 1938. In about 1940 they moved into a duplex house at #608 East Washington Street, not too far from where Mildred’s sister Dorothy (married to Ray Bales) was living on Mulberry Street. Another child, a daughter named Sandra (“Sandy”), was born a few years later in July 1941. In 1945 the Ridenbaugh’s purchased a home at #2310 Morris Street in the boro of South New Castle. At this location they made their lifelong home. Three more children were born while they lived at this location, Lynda in January 1946 (she was actually born in this house), George in October 1951, and Donna in October 1953.

According to records held by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (USRRB) in Chicago, Illinois, Walter went to work for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company (B&O) on Sunday, August 8, 1948. He was trained and employed as a flagman, responsible for helping trains pass through street and other crossings and he was also qualified as a conductor for moving trains through the yards. Mildred stayed home raising her kids, but did work for a short stretch in about 1951 as a cook at the Carlton Hotel in New Castle. She also played a large part in church activities at the Madison Avenue Christian Church in Mahoningtown.

Walter and Mildred’s children, born within a fifteen year span, all attended classes at J. P. Byers Public School and later graduated from Shenango Junior-Senior High School in nearby Shenango Township between 1956 and 1971. The two boys grew roots in New Castle (for the time being), but all three girls eventually settled out of state. Walter retired from B&O on Monday, November 24, 1975, when he was one day shy of his sixth-fifth birthday. For a while Walter and Mildred worked part time helping to clean the inside of the Madison Avenue Christian Church. In about 1970, in the midst of allegations of child abuse, Mildred also took on the task of raising the four children (her grandchildren) of her daughter Sandy named Frankie, Gary, Cindy, and Phyllis DuBois.

Granddaughter Cindy (DuBois) Cox had this to say about Walter and Mildred, known affectionately known as Gramps (or Grandpas) and Mimi:

“Grandpas and Mimi were so in love that I never saw them fight. When we would go to the store Grandpas always walked ahead and Mimi in the back. She would tell me that's the way it should always be. Grandpas was gone most of the time as he worked on the railroad for years with the B&O. Mimi was at home and would take care of us kids. She had me bleaching my hair white in the second grade. I had dirty blond hair and she said it looked dirty so we colored it for years. Mimi would always make sure we went to church service, Bible studies, church camp, etc... She would say if you held a boy’s hand you would get pregnant. She also would say girls don't call boys only bad ones do. I could go on and on. They would tease her saying she was like Edith (Bunker) from All In The Family.”

Gramps and Mimi settled into retirement on Morris Street. Just over a decade later, on Tuesday, October 6, 1987, they renewed their wedding vows at the Madison Avenue Christian Church. Once again Floyd and Emma Ridenbaugh stood in as witnesses. They also took on two other “children” - a Pug named Mitzey and a Boston Terrier named Mugsley (or Mugs).

Their oldest son Walter Jr. wrote to me and said this about going on trips with his mom:

“After I started to work at Elliot Bros. Steel (in 1985) I asked Mom and Dad to go to Texas to visit Cindy (Cox). Dad didn't want to go, so Mom and I went. It was Easter weekend and we had a good time. Next summer I took Mom to Florida to see (her daughters) Lynda and Donna. We went to Disney. Mom loved to be with people and she was walking slow just looking around. When we were leaving she said, “You kids spent so much money on ticket rides.” I told her that it didn't cost any more for the rides. It was all included in the admission. She said, “Well if I would have known that I would have rode more!” We made one more trip to Florida to visit Lynda. Donna had moved to Indiana. I think that Dad never wanted to fly and Mom said that from then on she wanted to stay with him.”

Walter Jr. added this about the humorous nature of his mom:

“There are so many more fun memories that Mimi and Gramps have given to us that it's hard to mention them all. If Mimi didn't make you laugh you weren't from this planet. She was always trying. I remember once when I was visiting them Dad said, “Here comes Alan” (Dr. Alan Houk - husband of Lynda’s daughter Lorree). Mimi said I had better hide my green leaves (spearmint) candy because Alan really likes them. She put them in the side pocket of her chair to hide them for me. Alan came in and he wasn't there for two minutes when Mom said, “Alan, would you like some green leaves?” There are so many other times that we will never forget.”

Granddaughter Cindy (DuBois) Cox relays this hilarious story about Mimi apparently seeing a urinal for the first time:

“Mimi was a blast. I can tell you one funny story. We were at the airport and Mimi went to the bathroom. She came back and said they got these new things where you can wash your hands and then they flush. We all laughed because she had went into the boys bathroom!”

As they progressed in age Walter and Mildred both suffered from the usual health problems. Walter did his best to look after Mildred as she began to suffer the effects of senility.

Walter Jr. said this when I asked if Mildred was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease:

“The doctors just said that Mom was losing her mind because of age. It all started one day when she was to take a stress test. She called me that morning and said that she didn't want to because she was tired. While taking the test she passed out and there was some conflict about how long. The doctor said three seconds and the nurse said three minutes. The nurse was the one that was able to bring her around. After that she started going down hill. At times she would be ok and then other times she would forget. It got to the point that she didn't remember anything.”

Granddaughter Cindy had this to say about Mimi’s deteriorating condition:

“When my Grandma got old timer’s disease it made me cry so bad. I would get so mad when someone wouldn't tell her the truth. I would tell her the truth but it hurt so bad. She got so she couldn't cook and didn't know anybody. She thought her dogs were her kids. I guess since she raised her four then raised my mother Sandy's four when we were gone the pets took our place. My grandparents were always there for me. When I moved to Houston, Texas, when I was eighteen years old (1982) I would always call Mimi even though she later got so she didn't know me any more.”

Their daughter Lynda (Ridenbaugh) Powers had this to say about her father Walter Sr. in his later years:

“He was very active and spry, planting a garden every year, driving and keeping his and my mom’s life on an even keel up until the time of the accident.”

That “accident” unfortunately brought about a tragic end on the late afternoon on Tuesday, March 25, 1997. Mildred apparently left a pan of boiling water on the hot stove and went up to bed, as Walter was in the downstairs living room probably sleeping. The pan soon melted down and started a fire in the kitchen. The fire was somewhat contained in the kitchen, but the house quickly filled with heat and thick smoke.

Firefighters arrived on scene en masse. They performed a valiant rescue but were hampered in finding Walter and Mildred due to no visibility because of the thick smoke. Walter and Mildred were soon extracted from the house and resuscitation efforts were frantically performed in the front yard. It was a sad scene in front of the Ridenbaugh house as neighbors cried and firefighters were visibly shaken at the scene. Walter and Mildred were then taken to St. Francis Hospital, where they were officially pronounced dead at 4:41pm and 4:46pm respectively. They both died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation (carbon monoxide poisoning). Walter was eighty-six and Mildred was seventy-eight. Their beloved dog Mugs also died in the accident. Their other dog Mitzey had died a few years earlier.

In June of 2010 Walter Jr. provided me with a truly heartfelt account of the events of that day. For him it started late that afternoon:

“I got home about 5:30 pm and was just getting ready for a nap, when Dad's next door neighbor called and said there was trouble at the house. They could see smoke but couldn't see if anyone was in the house, they also checked the garage but couldn't see the car. I then called Lorree (Lynda's daughter) and asked if she would take me up there. Her and her husband Alan came in from Bessemer shortly after. In the meantime I turned on the tv and they were showing the fire. They said that two lovers and a loved one had lost their lives.”

When Walter Jr. arrived on the scene of the fire this is what he witnessed:

“When we got to the house the neighbor came to me and said that she had buried my brother in the garden. It shocked me at first, then she proceeded to tell me that it was the dog Mugs. We then went around to the front of the house. The whole block was closed with fire trucks, police cars and two ambulances - with the doors closed. The firefighters were able to get into the house and had put a fan on the third floor window and the smoke was just pouring out. Dad had insulated the house so good that it was air tight. The ambulance started to pull away going to the hospital. I ask Alan if we could go to the hospital and we did. I didn't want to stay around the house any more. When the ambulances pulled away, I noticed that there were no lights or sirens on. So I started to prepare myself for the worst.”

Walter Jr. - with Lorree and her husband Alan - followed the ambulances and when he arrived at the hospital:

“They took us to the admissions desk and started to ask questions. They gave me Dad's wallet and ask me to look for an insurance card. Just then the nurse in charge came out and asked them what they were doing. She gave them a few stern words and took us to a private area and said that shortly we would be able to see my parents. We sat there it seemed like for a long time. I asked if I could go have a smoke but they said wait. Then the nurse came in with a cup of water and said go ahead and light up. After I was done smoking another nurse came in and said I have some bad news. I thought to myself be strong. “Your parents have passed away.” My head just dropped to my knees and I let out a scream. I felt like I had passed out. When I got myself together she asked would you like to see them now. We went into the emergency room and I went over to Dad. The nurse gave me his hand and I began speaking out loud, thanking him for all the kids and grandchildren, for all that he had done, and the hard work it took to raise us. I said a few other things and then told him to rest in peace. I then went to Mom and said just about the same to her, but told her how thankful we all were of the house that she kept for us all and all the food that she prepared at every meal time. I told her now was the time for that rest that she had so greatly deserved. I was holding her burnt hand. She also had a mark on her forehead and her hair line was burnt back. I again thanked her and told her to rest in peace.”

A viewing was held at 7:00-9:00pm on Thursday at the DeCarbo Funeral Home in New Castle. A memorial service was held at the funeral home at 1:00pm on Friday, followed by burial at Graceland Cemetery in New Castle. Walter Jr. had this to say about the viewing, the burial service, and the wake:

“The afternoon before the viewing my brother and sisters got together at the funeral home. The caskets were open. Mom and Dad both looked like they were in a restful sleep. There was only one thing wrong. Although she was remade over nice it just didn't look like Mom in the face. The undertaker said out of respect for your Dad I think that we should think about having both caskets closed for the viewing. We all thought that it would be for the best. That night at the viewing the caskets were closed and a picture of Mom and Dad was placed in front of them. What really helped that night was that there were so many people there that it took our minds off what had happened. My friend Karen (Seibel) from Pittsburgh stood by my side and was a big help, just as she has been many times before. That night a few stayed with us and the preacher asked for comments and things that some remembered of Mom and Dad. The next and final day we all walked in to the funeral home together. The room was full of relatives, friends, and neighbors. It would be hard to name everyone because our minds were fixed on one thing - this would be the last time (with our parents). The preacher gave a nice sermon just from what he had heard the night before. Then we took the long trip to the cemetery. I had suggested that all the grandchildren that were present should be pallbearers. I had tried to be strong for the rest. But after they carried the caskets and stood behind them I looked at all of them and I thought if it had not been for these two people getting married fifty-nine and a half years ago these kids wouldn't be standing there. I couldn't help it and I broke down for a few seconds. Someone, to this day I don't know who, put their hand on my arm and I reached around and patted their hand. After the funeral we all met at the South New Castle Boro fire hall for a lunch. The ladies of the fire hall had prepared, along with Mrs. Porter, a nice buffet. We gave the fire hall a donation because of what they had done at the fire and a little thank you for the lunch. They later had a plague made in memory of Mom and Dad with all of our names on it and placed it on a wall in the fire hall.”

Walter Jr. added this soon after:

“I forgot to mention but at the cemetery, after the grandchildren were behind the caskets, the wind started to blow real strong and just as fast as it started it stopped. I looked up and thought the tent was going to blow away! That night we all gathered at my place and were talking about it. If you knew my mother you would know she would like to play pranks on someone just to get them to laugh. We all thought this was her last little joke to say good bye.”

Daughter Lynda had this to say about the dogs Mitzey and Mugs:

“The minister’s final words were two loved ones and their loved one (Mugs) passed away today. Those dogs were their life.”

I asked Walter Jr. about what became of the house on Morris Street and he described it this way:

“We all agreed to have the house tore down as soon as possible. They started in April of 97 and finished about a month later. We managed to save a few items but everything was covered with black dust and what wasn't had melted from the heat. The paint on the walls had all bubbled and peeled. It was a mess. Lynda, Karen, George, and I moved some things out to the curb because the Boro was having spring cleanup. It was too much so when I called to have the house to be demolished, I asked them to clean out the house also. I gave the key to the next door neighbor and she oversaw the work. I didn't even want to return for any reason. When it was finally done Lorree took me up to pay the cleanup crew. We then tried to give the property to the next door neighbor for all they had done, but the attorney said that we would have to sell it. We sold it for the lowest price ($1,500) that we could. Within four months all business was taken care of and settled. It was just a matter of writing checks because he had plenty of insurance to settle everything. The funeral and everything was taken care. The attorney said that he never seen a case closed so fast.”

I’ll let son Walter Jr. conclude this biography with this thought:

“I have always said that memories are one gift of God that only death can destroy. I hope that when the time comes we will all meet again and start to make new memories.”