REMEMBERING AUNT ROMIE

Romie Rutter Hadfield at the Rutter Reunion in 1996

If Aunt Romie were still alive, she would turn 103 on August 22, 2011.  In this Rutter Reunion month of August (which is also her birth month), I would like to pay tribute to Aunt Romie.  Romie loved the Rutter Reunions, because she was a family person.  Although she had no children of her own, Romie loved her many nieces and nephews.  She knew them all by name and was interested in their accomplishments and helped many out when they needed assistance.

THE ENGLAND YEARS

Romie was born in Liverpool, England on August 22, 1908.  She was the tenth and last child of James Samuel and Adelaide Fell Rutter.  Her sister May, who was fifteen at the time, was told that she could choose a name for the baby, and Elsie was her choice.  Before the baby was blessed, however, Romania Penrose, who was wife of then mission president Charles W. Penrose, told Adelaide she would be pleased if they named the baby after her.  So it was that the infant was given the name Romania Elsie Rutter.  Romie would later say how grateful she was to Sister Penrose.  She certainly did not care for the name Elsie.

In 1908, the Rutter family lived on Lomand Road in Liverpool, England.  While Romie was still an infant, the family moved twice--first to a house on Maskill Road, and then to a home at 13 Binns Road.

The Rutter Family about 1911-12.  Front, from left to right:  mother Adelaide, Romie, Lillian and Heber.  Back, from left to right: Gladys with arm around her mother, William, Albert and father James Samuel.

At the time the above photograph was taken, May, the eldest daughter, had already emigrated to Utah.  This was the family that Romie knew.  Three older siblings had died before she was born.  Annie, the eldest Rutter was burned in a house fire and died from her injuries in 1897.  Little Henry (Harry) Rutter died before the age of two (1890).  John James was killed while working for the railroad in 1905.  He was just 18 years old.

Adelaide in doorway with children Heber, Gladys & Romie

Romie grew up in this large family. In spite of loss and hardship, it was a happy family. The children enjoyed playing with each other, and everyone loved to sing together in the evening.

James and Adelaide joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1904.  From that time, the Rutters were subjected to persecution.  The children were banned from some school classes, and they had rocks thrown at them as they walked to church on Sundays.

The family's goal was to move to Salt Lake.  May was the first to leave.  She was followed by Albert, then Lil and, finally, William (Bill).

In September of 1915, the last five members of the Rutter family left England bound for Utah--James and Adelaide with children Gladys, Heber and Romie.  Romie was seven years old at the time.  This voyage was not without its dangers. The world was at war and the seas were not safe.  However, they arrived unharmed in Quebec. After several more days of travel, they finally arrived in Salt Lake and settled for a while in Murray, Utah.  The Rutter family rented several houses before moving to their permanent residence at 2958 South 700 East.

THE UTAH YEARS

Gladys with Ruth Jack and Romie.  

Romie was about thirteen years old when she and her family moved to their home on 700 East.  Romie's sister May and her husband James Jack lived in a little white house in the rear of the Rutter home.  May and James had two children, Ruth and Bud (James).  Romie often spent time with Ruth so that May could care for young Bud.

During school, Romie developed several friendships, but none so dear as with her friend Marge Hepworth.  The Hepworths lived near the Rutter family and Marge and Romie became fast friends.
Romie and Marge attended Granite High School together.  Romie graduated from Granite about 1925.  Her high school years were eventful at home as well as school.

Early in her sophomore year (September 19, 1923) Romie's sister Lillian was married to Maurice Housecroft.  That same month, Romie's brother Bill became engaged to Cecilia Dredge of Malad, Idaho. They planned a wedding on February 14 of 1924. By January, 1924, anticipation for the wedding was growing.  Then Romie's parents received a phone call from Ogden telling them that their son Albert was very ill.  Albert was brought home and Dr. Joseph Jack was summoned.  There was little he could do.  Albert was suffering from lung cancer as well as cancer of the stomach and bowels.  Romie took over running her mother's store for a short while, and Adelaide did what she could for her dying son.

Romie & unknown friend & Marge Hepworth seated.

Albert died on February 4th.  His funeral was held on February 10th in the Wandamere Ward.  Bill and Cecilia moved their wedding back a month and were married March 19, 1924.

During her high school years, Romie became a new aunt several times over.  Gladys, who had married Nelson Whipple Margetts, gave birth to a son on 19 November 1923.  They named him Nelson Rutter Margetts.  In December of 1924, Mary Rutter Housecroft was born to Lil and Maurice.  Cecilia Ruth Ruttter arrived the very next month in January of 1925. Bill and Cecilia were proud parents, indeed. These happy events helped to ease the sadness of loss.

Romie had many talents.  She played the piano and she became an accomplished seamstress. She also excelled at making lemon cheese tarts--a favorite Rutter family dessert.

Romie wanted a very dramatic photo for the yearbook her senior year at Granite High School.  She loved fashion and was influenced by the movie stars of the day--women such as Mary Pickford, Norma Shearer, Janet Gaynor and Greta Garbo.

Romie with Lil & her  children Mary and Julianne 

Romania Rutter 1925.  Her high school graduation photo.

Just five years after graduation, Romie married a young man by the name of Glen Fredrick Player.  The marriage took place in the Salt Lake Temple on January 8, 1930.  Glen was six years older than Romie and has been described as "quite a ladies man."  Unfortunately, he lived up to this pronouncement and the marriage was not a happy one.  They divorced in 1941, and Romie returned home to live with and care for her mother.  Romie's father, James Samuel, had died in 1939, Heber had married Mable Pauline Christensen in 1936, and Adelaide was now alone.

During the next several years, Romie kept busy working and caring for her mother.  The Rutter family was a close knit group.  Her sisters May, Lil and Gladys came to the Rutter home at least weekly to visit with Romie and Adelaide.  They all loved a cup of tea and May read the tea leaves and told their forturnes.  She always saw a man, tall, dark and handsome, in Romie's future.

The Rutter siblings from left to right:  Romie, Gladys, May, Heber, Bill and Lillian.  Taken on front lawn of 2958 700 E.

Sometime in the ensuing years, Robert Wilding Hadfield, a bachelor, came courting, and Romie's future, at last, looked brighter. Perhaps Bob was not as described by May in the tea leaves, but he won Romie's heart.  Her mother was not thrilled to see this attachment forming as she depended on Romie and did not want her to get married and leave Adelaide alone.  Her worries were unfounded, Romie and Bob did not marry until February 14, 1956--more than two years after Adelaide's death on November 17, 1953.

Romania Elsie Rutter Hadfield.  She liked this photo. 

Robert Wilding Hadfield about the time of his marriage.

Romie and Bob were married in Las Vegas, Nevada, by an LDS bishop, Danford B. Crane.  Bishop Crane was bishop of the Las Vegas 1st Ward.  The marriage was witnessed by Merril and Beth Austin.

After their marriage, Bob and Romie built a home on King's Lane and lived happily together for thirty-two years.  Bob worked for the U.S. Post Office at the main office in downtown Salt Lake, and Romie worked at Salt Lake Stamp Company.

Bob and Romie's garden was filled with beautiful Iris plants.

Bob had suffered a heart attack and Romie set about learning the diet recommended for a healthy heart and strictly enforced it.  Bob always enjoyed the Rutter Reunions where he could sneak a piece or two of chocolate cake, but he knew it was because of Romie's diligence that Bob regained and maintained his health after the heart attack.

Gardening was a way of life for Bob and Romie.  Bob's family were commercial gardeners, and Bob loved to grow beautiful flowers.  During the Spring and Summer and late into the Fall, Bob and Romie could be found in the garden.

After Bob's death in 1988, Romie became a caregiver for her brother Heber, who was a widower.  Heber moved close to Romie and she made sure he was fed, took his medicine and got to his doctor appointments.  On Mondays, and later on Fridays, Romie invited her nephews Theo Fawson ad Bud Jack to have lunch with her and Heber.  Each was a widower, and Romie wanted to make sure they got a good meal or two with lots of vegetables.

Every Thursday, Romie took her dear friend Marge Hepworth Dean grocery shopping.  Marge and Romie had been friends since school days and Marge, like Romie, was a widow with no children.  Because of poor eyesight she was unable to drive or get out much.  Romie always made sure Marge got places and had the things she needed.  They knew and understood each other well.

A big part of Romie's life were her dogs.  How Romie loved her dogs!  She had two large poodles, Angie and Mandy, not simultaneously, but one after the other.  To some of the little children, they seemed as large and threatening as a big black bear.  When the children ran crying to their parents, Romie would coax them to her with, "Come on over here.  She won't hurt you.  She just wants to play."

At the end of her life, her big old Boxer JR was her companion.  Romie died March 7, 1998, in Salt Lake City, Utah.  She was 89 years old.

Romie at the 1995 Rutter Reunion.  She loved talking to all the family members in attendance.  She knew every one!

If anyone has memories of Aunt Romie, please share them here.  Anyone wanting copies of the photos used here, please let me know.  If you have photos of Romie you would like to share, please contact me.

Liz Margetts