BIOGRAPHY

Hale was born as Ruth Dygert on 10 July 1900 in Jersey City, New Jersey. She attended Wilson College in Pennsylvania, and would graduate from Montclair Normal School (later renamed Montclair State University).

Hale worked as a teacher in the cities of Elizabeth and Cranford. She married Leslie P. Hale in 1926 and had two sons, William and James, the latter of whom predeceased her. She was widowed in 1971.

In 2000, Hale moved into a aged care facility in Lakewood, New Jersey. Prior to this, she had lived in a retirement village for 37 years, being a frequent participant in social activities and volunteering in a nearby hospital. As a centenarian, she claimed the secret to her longevity was having a good family, her job as a teacher, and minimal stress in her life.

Hale died on 9 February 2011 in Lakewood at the age of 110 years, 214 days. She was survived by her son William, two granddaughters, and six great-grandchildren, as well as her 94-year-old niece, Eleanor Haddon.

RECOGNITION

Hale became the oldest New Jersey resident upon the death of Almeta Hartmann, 109, on 3 January 2010. Following her own death, the title would pass to Dutch-born Kaatje Hof.

Hale’s age was verified by Stefan Maglov and Jimmy Lindberg, and was validated by LongeviQuest on 19 April 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY