814-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 12,1990
“There's so many things that makes my mother special,” Karen Hoffer said, Her
mother Ruth Keller, left, Is lap quilting a log cabin quilt for Karen, who Is wearing one
of the tailored suits her mother has made her.
Mother And Daughter Best Friends
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LITTTZ (Lancaster Co.) When
Karen Hoffer, Lititz, celebrated
her 10th wedding anniversary with
her husband Dave on Thursday,
she thought of her mother.
That’s because Karen took
another peek at her wedding gown
that her mother had made for the
occasion.
And that reminded her of all the
other things her mother has done
for her over the years.
Karen, who works in Lancaster
Farming’s classified ad depart
ment, said, “There’s so many
things that makes my mother spe
cial. She’d do anything for me.”
Her mother, Ruth Keller, admits
that some people say she spoils her
only daughter, but for this busy
mother, love is spelled by doing.
An accomplished seamtress,
Ruth sews a wardrobe of clothes
for her career-busy daughter.
Karen and her husband live in an
apartment within several miles
from her parents’ Lititz home.
Weekly, Ruth shares fijesh veget
ables, baked goods, and home
made soups with the couple.
Mother and daughter find this
arrangement brings fringe bene
fits. “It makes sure we get together
to visit every week,” Karen said.
And from their viewpoint, time
spent together strengthens their
relationship with each other.
Karen said, “She’s my best
friend.”
“I think if you get involved with
your daughter and find common
interests, you always have a close
relationship,” Ruth said.
That relationship made the teen
age years smooth sailing. Karen
recalls, “My parents did so much
for me that I didn’t want to disap
point them.”
Asa child, Karen recalls that she
and her two brothers had the most
fun at home. The Kellers owned a
200-acre Lititz farm where they
raised chickens, cows, tobacco,
hay, and grains.
Growing up in a family of 10,
had taught Ruth self-sufficency
and she said, “I wasn’t afraid of
hard work.” When she got married,
she worked along with her hus
band, Charles on their dairy farm.
When they sold the farm, Ruth
missed the farm work but she nev
er became bored.
“That’s when I had more time to
Mother's Day Tribute
take up sewing,” she said.
She not only sews clothing but
also makes draperies, tablecloths,
curtains, and many different crafts
for others.
“But I mostly like to make clo
thing for Karen,” Ruth said.
“When I sew for pay, it isn’t fun
any more it’s too much like
production.”
As a parent, Ruth believes it is
important to treat each child equal
ly. She said, “What I do for one
child, I do for the other not the
same thing, but something of simi
lar value. She enjoys sewing for
her grandchildren and making
crafts for them.
The Keller’s oldest son, Lynn,
who was a Tioga County game
Karen, right, celebrates her 10th wedding anniversary
and Mother’s Day all In the same week. She examines her
wedding gown that was made by her mother, Ruth Keller,
left.
protector, died of leukemia in
1978. Another son Dennis is a Lt.
Colonel stationed in the U.S. Army
in Bolivia with his wife and two
children. The distance requires
sending packages through the mail
and sometimes the family flies
home for extended visits in the
Keller’s home.
“You’ll notice my mother
doesn’t act as old as she is,” Karen
said.
Her mother broke into a jolly
laugh and noted that when people
her age gather together usually the
first topic of conversation is
health.
“I’m not a doctor person,” Ruth
said. Once she had a broken foot on
(Turn to Pag* B 18)
See your nearest
I\EW HOLLAND
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and
Dependable Service;
PENNSYLVANIA
Annville, PA
BHM Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RDI, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Beavertown, PA
BAR Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RD 1, Box 217 A
717-658-7024
Belleville, PA
Ivan J. Zook
Farm Equipment
Belleville, Pa.
717-935-2948
Canton, PA
Hess Farm Equipment
717-673-5143
Carlisle, PA
R4W Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Chambereburg, PA
Clugston
I Implement, Inc.
R.D. 1
717-263-4103
Davldsburg, PA
George N. Gross, Inc.
R.D. 2, Dover, PA
717-292-1673
Elizabethtown, PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc
Rt. 283 - Rheem's Exit
717-367-1319
Ylngling Implements,
Inc.
3291 Taneytown Rd.
717-359-4848
Greencaatle, PA
Meyers
Implement's Inc.
400 N. Antrim Way
P.O. Box 97
717-597-2176
Halifax, PA
Sweigard Bros.
R D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Hamburg, PA
ShaiHesville
Farm Service
R.D. 1, Box 1392
215-488-1025
Honey Brook, PA
Dependable Motor Co
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
Honey Grove, PA
Norman D. Clark
& Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682
Hughesvllle, PA
Farnsworth Farm
Supplies, Inc.
103 Cemetery Street
717-584-2106
New Holland, PA
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
Oley, PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 2
215-987-6257
Pitman, PA
Schreffler Equipment
Pitman. PA
717-648-1120
Quakartown, PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 1
215-536-1935
Rlngtown, PA
Ringtown Farm
Equipment
Ringtown, PA
717-889-3184
Tamaqua, PA
Charles S. Snyder, Inc
R.D. 3
717-386-5945
West Grove, PA
S G. Lewis & Son, Inc
R D 2, Box 66
215-869-2214
MARYLAND
Churchvllle, MD
Walter G Coale, Inc
2849-53
Churchvllle Rd
301-838-6470
Frederick, MO
Ceresville
Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East
301-662-4197
Outside MO,
800-331-9122
Hagerstown
Antietam For
301-791-1201
NEW JER!
Bridgeton, N.
Leslie G. Fogi
Canton & Sto'
Landing
609-451-272
609-935-514!
Washington,
Smith Tractoi
Equip, Inc
15 Hillcrest .
201-689-7900
Woodetown,
Owen Supplj
Broad Street
East Avenue
609-769-03 Of