Ruth Comstock was born at home, as was the way in the early 1900s. She grew up in Sodus Point, a lovely Lake Ontario spot with a bay and three islands. She and her family lived on Newark Island for a few years when she was a child, and had fond memories of romping around the island and swimming in the bay. She attended Salt Works School where her favorite teacher was Mr. McMaster. There were no buses in those days, so she would walk to school some distance with her siblings.
Later she moved with her family to Charlotte west on the Lake where they later lived in Rochester. Ruth enjoyed being in gymnastic shows at what was called the turnbrine, a gym. She and her siblings and pals would also put on spontaneous shows at Charlotte Beach. Another fun spot they frequented was the Nataorium where they would swim in the indoor pool. She worked at Beechnut, a food processing and packing plant on East Main Street. While working there she attended and completed high school nights at East High. Ruth enjoyed taking friends out to her mother's in Sodus Point where they would go dancing in the resort town. She met her husband through mutual friends who all had great fun going hiking and camping and hunting, as well as going dancing and to the German Haus where they would do Bavarian folk dancing.
Ruth and John built a home in Penfield after the birth of their first of three children. She then enjoyed being a mother and homemaker doing all the cooking, baking, canning, cleaning and gardening with the help of some automation such as wringer and agitating early washing machines. They had a screened in porch in the back of their home overlooking the wooded hills trailing down to Irondequoit Bay. One day while ironing there, a storm came up quickly and a lightning fireball went rolling by her.
That was not her only narrow escape from death. She was hospitalized as a teenager for several months bed rest following a double mastoid operation. Her mother and younger sister said that changed her personality, due to the nurses spoiling her. She also had a serious auto accident after her husband died. Her car was mushed in on the side, but she and one child escaped serious injury. They were on there way to her job at the Opportunity Shop, a three story antique and used goods shop downtown Rochester. Her brother soon had the car looking like new again.
Ruth also, around the time her husband became debilitated with depression, was working as a waitress. Later she moved the family to Florida with her mother and worked with her sister Mildred in the flower growing industry. Here her hands were so infected by the chemicals that she encountered great pain and the loss of her fingernails. She took her family back to Sodus Point to raise them. Here she worked the night shift at the RR station house restaurant. She also worked as a cashier at the Star Market for several years. Next she took the Civil Service exam and worked for the NYS Employment Services for over 25 years through retirement.
Meanwhile, Ruth was a Cub Scout leader and led the boys on excursions in the woods at 2nd Creek, and across the ice and back in winter. She took her family on many an outing to the beach, out to visit relatives in Canandaigua and Rochester, and on many a picnic. She and a daughter took a road trip around the USA and yes, as the ad jingle used to be sung by Dinah Shore, "See the USA in you Chevrolet, America's asking you to call." They were appropriately in a Chevy. They went as far west as the State of Washington, south to California and Tijuana, Mexico, and back to New York on the famous Route 66.
Ruth got to enjoy 9 grandchildren. She even took two of them to Scotland with her when she was visiting her son stationed there in the Navy who was newly married with young children. She loved to have them over for family gatherings and summer picnics and trips to the beach. She helped raise some of them as a daughter had moved back home and raised her children in the big apartment house where they lived. The grandchildren were great companions out berry picking in summers, and witnessed many a canning weekend. She would buy huge tins of cherries at the nearby factory, can them in Mason jars and later bake pies. The children also got to see her jam making days. Children and grandchildren got to assist as youngsters using the mill cullender to make applesauce, and the food grinder to mince vegetables and bread crumbs for dressing turkeys or making soups. She made stew and soups and spaghetti sauce in her electric deep well in the stove top. Boiled potatoes from the night before got fried in her iron fry pan for next night's supper.
Ruth enjoyed many years of worship at the Sodus Point United Methodist Church and membership in the UM Women's organization. She worked many summer weekends as cashier for the rummage and bake sales.
Her later years were challenging as her health decline led first to using a cane and then a walker, then the last ten years using a wheelchair. This didn't stop her from doing a lot around the house, as she was a determined and driven person, who gave into no challenge. Even after a broken hip she pushed forward. Ruth had a brief stay at a nursing home, but was able to go home with her daughter's care the last year and a half of her life.
Ruth Comstock Bissell was an attractive person. One example of her beauty is from an encounter her husband John had with a fellow employee. This work friend had gone to the Auditorium Theater the night before for a live performance, and was telling John about seeing this most beautiful woman seated in the lobby. As the man described the woman and her dress, John realized this beauty was indeed his wife, Ruth, as they too had been at the Auditorium Theater that previous night.
Later she moved with her family to Charlotte west on the Lake where they later lived in Rochester. Ruth enjoyed being in gymnastic shows at what was called the turnbrine, a gym. She and her siblings and pals would also put on spontaneous shows at Charlotte Beach. Another fun spot they frequented was the Nataorium where they would swim in the indoor pool. She worked at Beechnut, a food processing and packing plant on East Main Street. While working there she attended and completed high school nights at East High. Ruth enjoyed taking friends out to her mother's in Sodus Point where they would go dancing in the resort town. She met her husband through mutual friends who all had great fun going hiking and camping and hunting, as well as going dancing and to the German Haus where they would do Bavarian folk dancing.
Ruth and John built a home in Penfield after the birth of their first of three children. She then enjoyed being a mother and homemaker doing all the cooking, baking, canning, cleaning and gardening with the help of some automation such as wringer and agitating early washing machines. They had a screened in porch in the back of their home overlooking the wooded hills trailing down to Irondequoit Bay. One day while ironing there, a storm came up quickly and a lightning fireball went rolling by her.
That was not her only narrow escape from death. She was hospitalized as a teenager for several months bed rest following a double mastoid operation. Her mother and younger sister said that changed her personality, due to the nurses spoiling her. She also had a serious auto accident after her husband died. Her car was mushed in on the side, but she and one child escaped serious injury. They were on there way to her job at the Opportunity Shop, a three story antique and used goods shop downtown Rochester. Her brother soon had the car looking like new again.
Ruth also, around the time her husband became debilitated with depression, was working as a waitress. Later she moved the family to Florida with her mother and worked with her sister Mildred in the flower growing industry. Here her hands were so infected by the chemicals that she encountered great pain and the loss of her fingernails. She took her family back to Sodus Point to raise them. Here she worked the night shift at the RR station house restaurant. She also worked as a cashier at the Star Market for several years. Next she took the Civil Service exam and worked for the NYS Employment Services for over 25 years through retirement.
Meanwhile, Ruth was a Cub Scout leader and led the boys on excursions in the woods at 2nd Creek, and across the ice and back in winter. She took her family on many an outing to the beach, out to visit relatives in Canandaigua and Rochester, and on many a picnic. She and a daughter took a road trip around the USA and yes, as the ad jingle used to be sung by Dinah Shore, "See the USA in you Chevrolet, America's asking you to call." They were appropriately in a Chevy. They went as far west as the State of Washington, south to California and Tijuana, Mexico, and back to New York on the famous Route 66.
Ruth got to enjoy 9 grandchildren. She even took two of them to Scotland with her when she was visiting her son stationed there in the Navy who was newly married with young children. She loved to have them over for family gatherings and summer picnics and trips to the beach. She helped raise some of them as a daughter had moved back home and raised her children in the big apartment house where they lived. The grandchildren were great companions out berry picking in summers, and witnessed many a canning weekend. She would buy huge tins of cherries at the nearby factory, can them in Mason jars and later bake pies. The children also got to see her jam making days. Children and grandchildren got to assist as youngsters using the mill cullender to make applesauce, and the food grinder to mince vegetables and bread crumbs for dressing turkeys or making soups. She made stew and soups and spaghetti sauce in her electric deep well in the stove top. Boiled potatoes from the night before got fried in her iron fry pan for next night's supper.
Ruth enjoyed many years of worship at the Sodus Point United Methodist Church and membership in the UM Women's organization. She worked many summer weekends as cashier for the rummage and bake sales.
Her later years were challenging as her health decline led first to using a cane and then a walker, then the last ten years using a wheelchair. This didn't stop her from doing a lot around the house, as she was a determined and driven person, who gave into no challenge. Even after a broken hip she pushed forward. Ruth had a brief stay at a nursing home, but was able to go home with her daughter's care the last year and a half of her life.
Ruth Comstock Bissell was an attractive person. One example of her beauty is from an encounter her husband John had with a fellow employee. This work friend had gone to the Auditorium Theater the night before for a live performance, and was telling John about seeing this most beautiful woman seated in the lobby. As the man described the woman and her dress, John realized this beauty was indeed his wife, Ruth, as they too had been at the Auditorium Theater that previous night.
Ruth Comstock was born at home, as was the way in the early 1900s. She grew up in Sodus Point, a lovely Lake Ontario spot with a bay and three islands. She and her family lived on Newark Island for a few years when she was a child, and had fond memories of romping around the island and swimming in the bay. She attended Salt Works School where her favorite teacher was Mr. McMaster. There were no buses in those days, so she would walk to school some distance with her siblings.
Later she moved with her family to Charlotte west on the Lake where they later lived in Rochester. Ruth enjoyed being in gymnastic shows at what was called the turnbrine, a gym. She and her siblings and pals would also put on spontaneous shows at Charlotte Beach. Another fun spot they frequented was the Nataorium where they would swim in the indoor pool. She worked at Beechnut, a food processing and packing plant on East Main Street. While working there she attended and completed high school nights at East High. Ruth enjoyed taking friends out to her mother's in Sodus Point where they would go dancing in the resort town. She met her husband through mutual friends who all had great fun going hiking and camping and hunting, as well as going dancing and to the German Haus where they would do Bavarian folk dancing.
Ruth and John built a home in Penfield after the birth of their first of three children. She then enjoyed being a mother and homemaker doing all the cooking, baking, canning, cleaning and gardening with the help of some automation such as wringer and agitating early washing machines. They had a screened in porch in the back of their home overlooking the wooded hills trailing down to Irondequoit Bay. One day while ironing there, a storm came up quickly and a lightning fireball went rolling by her.
That was not her only narrow escape from death. She was hospitalized as a teenager for several months bed rest following a double mastoid operation. Her mother and younger sister said that changed her personality, due to the nurses spoiling her. She also had a serious auto accident after her husband died. Her car was mushed in on the side, but she and one child escaped serious injury. They were on there way to her job at the Opportunity Shop, a three story antique and used goods shop downtown Rochester. Her brother soon had the car looking like new again.
Ruth also, around the time her husband became debilitated with depression, was working as a waitress. Later she moved the family to Florida with her mother and worked with her sister Mildred in the flower growing industry. Here her hands were so infected by the chemicals that she encountered great pain and the loss of her fingernails. She took her family back to Sodus Point to raise them. Here she worked the night shift at the RR station house restaurant. She also worked as a cashier at the Star Market for several years. Next she took the Civil Service exam and worked for the NYS Employment Services for over 25 years through retirement.
Meanwhile, Ruth was a Cub Scout leader and led the boys on excursions in the woods at 2nd Creek, and across the ice and back in winter. She took her family on many an outing to the beach, out to visit relatives in Canandaigua and Rochester, and on many a picnic. She and a daughter took a road trip around the USA and yes, as the ad jingle used to be sung by Dinah Shore, "See the USA in you Chevrolet, America's asking you to call." They were appropriately in a Chevy. They went as far west as the State of Washington, south to California and Tijuana, Mexico, and back to New York on the famous Route 66.
Ruth got to enjoy 9 grandchildren. She even took two of them to Scotland with her when she was visiting her son stationed there in the Navy who was newly married with young children. She loved to have them over for family gatherings and summer picnics and trips to the beach. She helped raise some of them as a daughter had moved back home and raised her children in the big apartment house where they lived. The grandchildren were great companions out berry picking in summers, and witnessed many a canning weekend. She would buy huge tins of cherries at the nearby factory, can them in Mason jars and later bake pies. The children also got to see her jam making days. Children and grandchildren got to assist as youngsters using the mill cullender to make applesauce, and the food grinder to mince vegetables and bread crumbs for dressing turkeys or making soups. She made stew and soups and spaghetti sauce in her electric deep well in the stove top. Boiled potatoes from the night before got fried in her iron fry pan for next night's supper.
Ruth enjoyed many years of worship at the Sodus Point United Methodist Church and membership in the UM Women's organization. She worked many summer weekends as cashier for the rummage and bake sales.
Her later years were challenging as her health decline led first to using a cane and then a walker, then the last ten years using a wheelchair. This didn't stop her from doing a lot around the house, as she was a determined and driven person, who gave into no challenge. Even after a broken hip she pushed forward. Ruth had a brief stay at a nursing home, but was able to go home with her daughter's care the last year and a half of her life.
Ruth Comstock Bissell was an attractive person. One example of her beauty is from an encounter her husband John had with a fellow employee. This work friend had gone to the Auditorium Theater the night before for a live performance, and was telling John about seeing this most beautiful woman seated in the lobby. As the man described the woman and her dress, John realized this beauty was indeed his wife, Ruth, as they too had been at the Auditorium Theater that previous night.
Later she moved with her family to Charlotte west on the Lake where they later lived in Rochester. Ruth enjoyed being in gymnastic shows at what was called the turnbrine, a gym. She and her siblings and pals would also put on spontaneous shows at Charlotte Beach. Another fun spot they frequented was the Nataorium where they would swim in the indoor pool. She worked at Beechnut, a food processing and packing plant on East Main Street. While working there she attended and completed high school nights at East High. Ruth enjoyed taking friends out to her mother's in Sodus Point where they would go dancing in the resort town. She met her husband through mutual friends who all had great fun going hiking and camping and hunting, as well as going dancing and to the German Haus where they would do Bavarian folk dancing.
Ruth and John built a home in Penfield after the birth of their first of three children. She then enjoyed being a mother and homemaker doing all the cooking, baking, canning, cleaning and gardening with the help of some automation such as wringer and agitating early washing machines. They had a screened in porch in the back of their home overlooking the wooded hills trailing down to Irondequoit Bay. One day while ironing there, a storm came up quickly and a lightning fireball went rolling by her.
That was not her only narrow escape from death. She was hospitalized as a teenager for several months bed rest following a double mastoid operation. Her mother and younger sister said that changed her personality, due to the nurses spoiling her. She also had a serious auto accident after her husband died. Her car was mushed in on the side, but she and one child escaped serious injury. They were on there way to her job at the Opportunity Shop, a three story antique and used goods shop downtown Rochester. Her brother soon had the car looking like new again.
Ruth also, around the time her husband became debilitated with depression, was working as a waitress. Later she moved the family to Florida with her mother and worked with her sister Mildred in the flower growing industry. Here her hands were so infected by the chemicals that she encountered great pain and the loss of her fingernails. She took her family back to Sodus Point to raise them. Here she worked the night shift at the RR station house restaurant. She also worked as a cashier at the Star Market for several years. Next she took the Civil Service exam and worked for the NYS Employment Services for over 25 years through retirement.
Meanwhile, Ruth was a Cub Scout leader and led the boys on excursions in the woods at 2nd Creek, and across the ice and back in winter. She took her family on many an outing to the beach, out to visit relatives in Canandaigua and Rochester, and on many a picnic. She and a daughter took a road trip around the USA and yes, as the ad jingle used to be sung by Dinah Shore, "See the USA in you Chevrolet, America's asking you to call." They were appropriately in a Chevy. They went as far west as the State of Washington, south to California and Tijuana, Mexico, and back to New York on the famous Route 66.
Ruth got to enjoy 9 grandchildren. She even took two of them to Scotland with her when she was visiting her son stationed there in the Navy who was newly married with young children. She loved to have them over for family gatherings and summer picnics and trips to the beach. She helped raise some of them as a daughter had moved back home and raised her children in the big apartment house where they lived. The grandchildren were great companions out berry picking in summers, and witnessed many a canning weekend. She would buy huge tins of cherries at the nearby factory, can them in Mason jars and later bake pies. The children also got to see her jam making days. Children and grandchildren got to assist as youngsters using the mill cullender to make applesauce, and the food grinder to mince vegetables and bread crumbs for dressing turkeys or making soups. She made stew and soups and spaghetti sauce in her electric deep well in the stove top. Boiled potatoes from the night before got fried in her iron fry pan for next night's supper.
Ruth enjoyed many years of worship at the Sodus Point United Methodist Church and membership in the UM Women's organization. She worked many summer weekends as cashier for the rummage and bake sales.
Her later years were challenging as her health decline led first to using a cane and then a walker, then the last ten years using a wheelchair. This didn't stop her from doing a lot around the house, as she was a determined and driven person, who gave into no challenge. Even after a broken hip she pushed forward. Ruth had a brief stay at a nursing home, but was able to go home with her daughter's care the last year and a half of her life.
Ruth Comstock Bissell was an attractive person. One example of her beauty is from an encounter her husband John had with a fellow employee. This work friend had gone to the Auditorium Theater the night before for a live performance, and was telling John about seeing this most beautiful woman seated in the lobby. As the man described the woman and her dress, John realized this beauty was indeed his wife, Ruth, as they too had been at the Auditorium Theater that previous night.
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