Longtime Batavia resident and World War II veteran Ruth Burnham to celebrate 100th birthday

As one of the first women to enlist as one of the Waves in the Navy during World War II, 21-year-old Ruth Drover couldn't possibly have known her willingness to share some fudge sent to her while stationed in Kansas City would change her life.

Encouraged by co-workers in her recruitment office to share the fudge with a young ensign working in an office across the street, Drover did so.

That ensign was Joe Burnham, who enjoyed meeting the young lady who brought the sweets more so than the fudge itself.

Burnham called Ruth in her office the next day and asked for a date. She said yes, and a year later, they were married. Quick marriages, she says, were pretty common during the war.

It was one of those precious moments in life for Ruth Burnham of Batavia. And she's had plenty, considering she celebrates her 100th birthday on Monday, March 29, at The Holmstad in Batavia, where she has lived for the past 20-plus years.

She's become a well-known name in Batavia, serving various community and church organizations and achieving important tasks for Batavia.

In that regard, Batavia was lucky that, after the war, Joe and Ruth Burnham looked for a home in the Fox Valley area after Joe landed a job at Marshall Field's in downtown Chicago.

They connected with a Realtor named Jack Allen, who found them a house in Batavia at 433 Main St.

"At first, the home didn't seem like what they really wanted," said daughter Ann Burnham Davis, the youngest child and lone girl with three brothers in the family. Ann has spent an entire career teaching in Batavia schools.

"But once they got inside the house, they loved it, and they ended up filling it with antiques, which was a real passion for them," she said of her parents' decision to stay in Batavia.

The couple lived there until Joe, the CEO of Marshall Field's at that time, suddenly died at age 57 in 1977. From that point, Ruth devoted time to her hometown with efforts that led to her being tabbed as Batavia Citizen of the Year in 1992.

"Ruth is such a kind soul, ready with a good word and smile for everyone she encounters," said Sammi King, a longtime journalist in Batavia.

After purchasing a Van Nortwick family home in Batavia, King informed Ruth about it. Around the same time, the Batavia Historical Society was having meetings about the Van Nortwick family history.

When agreeing to let the membership visit the house, King had no idea that Ruth would rustle up about 160 members to come - and she offered to provide the beverages.

The community projects have been the joys of her life, daughter Ann said.

One of her favorite committees was the Council on Aging, which helped bring the Riverain Point apartments to Batavia along the Fox River.

"That was pretty big for her," Ann said. "It was a monumental task in which she helped establish a place where people could live who didn't have the kind of funds other people had."

Another key feather in Ruth's cap was helping move the Batavia train depot and converting it to the Historical Society's Depot Museum.

Because she's still in COVID-19 safeguards at The Holmstad, Ruth's 100th birthday won't get as much hoopla as it might otherwise. Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke is planning to visit and bring something to commemorate the day, and Ann has been pushing to have 100 birthday cards sent to her mother from friends before her centennial day.

Even though she is suffering some memory loss, Ruth Burnham has not lost her most indelible traits.

"She's still perky and still has that beautiful smile," Ann said of her mother. "One of my brothers nicknamed her 'Dalai Mama' because she is so loving and so observant of what's going on around her. It's like she's had a new appreciation and realization of life."

To help others better know her mother, Ann shared some comments Ruth made not long ago.

"She said she is proud of belonging to the Greatest Generation," Ann said. "And she also said, 'Embracing a cause - making a difference - gives a perpetual spark to one's life journey.'"

Ann knows that comment sums up her mother well. "It's a credo that served her for a lifetime, and it is just true about my mom."

Some Geneva changes:

With two vaccine shots streaming through my bloodstream, I was able to get out more - and taking note of what all has changed.

We glanced at St. Charles last week, so this week here's a few things noticed in Geneva.

The city tells us that unexpected construction delays have halted Karas Restaurant Group's progress in rebuilding the former Little Owl site at 101 W. State St. The same thing has happened at the new Dunkin' location at 206 E. State. As of last week, those two projects were still ground to a halt.

The Rejoice Café and Lounge at 11 E. State Street by Mill Race Cyclery is planning a move to the vacant Dimples Donuts location at 1307 E. Main St. in St. Charles.

Owner Ron Anderson of Geneva had initially planned his "first plant-based eatery in the area" for a spot a 507 S. Third St. Then the pandemic hit, and he opted for a smaller operation at the former Early Light Cafe spot along State Street to serve casual vegan and gluten-free dishes.

We've brought up the openings of bath and body products shop Mia's Wish, as well as sweet tooth havens Cookie Dough Bliss and Hey Sugar in downtown Geneva this year, and all of them pushed through the pandemic's height to get established.

Changes in downtown Geneva also seem focused on Campbell and Franklin streets just off of Third Street.

The men's consignment store Stitch Switch at 310 Campbell St. offers a place for men to scope out used clothing.

Winding Deerpath, which features the work of local artists, and adjoining Nature Gallery & Gifts moved off State Street to 316 Franklin St. in the spot Graham's temporarily used while its Graham's 318 coffee shop was being renovated.

Next door, at 314 Franklin St., The Treasure Shop, featuring minerals and crystals, opened in a spot that formerly housed Cali & Chance gift shop. That shop slipped across the street into a location that gluten-free bakery Sweet Natalie's operated out of before moving to Wheaton.

In other news along Third Street, the Paper Merchant has revealed it will be closing its business soon.

Though it's been around since before the pandemic took hold, the Tap Room in the Ace Hardware retail strip looks to be a popular place.

For bread lovers, another option is planned for the retail strip off Bent Tree Drive in Geneva between Starbucks and Fairway Dental as Masterpiece Bread is preparing to open at 1441 S. Randall Road, Suite B.

Quite a fish fry:

The Geneva American Legion Post 75 and Craft Urban Restaurant have teamed up for a "Friday Fish Fry Fundraiser" from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 26 at Craft Urban Restaurant, 211 James St.

The dine-in or "to go" event featuring an array of beer-battered walleye, fries, tartar sauce, coleslaw and mac 'n cheese costs $22 and serves as a replacement event for the turkey raffle at the American Legion that was canceled last year.

A donation to the legion earns a spin of a wheel for prizes. Organizers say that every spin will result in a prize.

All proceeds from this event are being donated to the American Legion to help local veterans in need.

dheun@sbcglobal.net