Elisabeth
I was a young women when I came to Maui in 1967. I got married in St. Anthony’s church, then I wanted to be a nurse, went to Maui Community college to get a Nurse’s Aide certification so I could work in that field while I went to school. However, I found out about the 3 year residency rule and I couldn’t get a job in that field. I went to work at Aloha Restaurant in Kahului for Aunty Ruth. She was a wonderful boss and the best person possible. I left Maui in 1969 when my military husband got orders to go elsewhere. 30 years later, in 1998, I returned and looked up Aunty Ruth. When we got together it was like those 30 years had never separated us. I saw her every other year from then until 2011. We would laugh, talk story, go to the Lavender farm. It was wonderful. Shortly after leaving in 2011 I got a letter from her with Ali’i Chang’s obituary in it. I was saddened as she was. Life took some rough turns since then. I haven’t been back to Maui since 2011. I was going through some papers and found letters from her. I wondered out loud to my husband, “I wonder how Aunty Ruth is doing?” He put her name into google and asked me, is this her., when he found her obituary. My heart sank. I loved her very much. I will treasure all my memories and stories we shared even more now. I know she is with the angels because she truly was one herself.
I am so grateful for having known her, Mahalo Elisabeth McNevin