The Early Years

1942—Ruth as a smiley newborn.

Ruth’s birth certificate from Jan 19, 1942, listing herfull given name was Mildred Margaret Ruth Verdone. Ruth wasn’t aware for much of her life that her first given name was Mildred.

1942—Ruth with her father Pat in the backyard of the Southern Ave house.

1942—Ruth with her mother Mildred in the backyard with the corner of the barn from 4104 in the background. The family’s grape arbor is behind them.

The Verdone family’s longtime home at 4108 Southern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21206 (northeast of downtown Baltimore). Her parents bought the house in roughly 1940. Ruth stands on the steps on Mar 28, 2022, during a visit with her son Dave.

Ruth always loved the large house next door at 4104 Southern Ave (left)—the side elevation of which appears in many family photos. The top of the small garage at the back of the property is just visible over the gate.

Lot 4106 sits between the houses and has always been undeveloped. The house at 4104 once had a large barn at the back of the property, as seen in some photos. An unpaved alleyway runs behind the houses.

The backyard as seen in present-day real estate photos. Gone is the paved driveway leading from the gate to the small garage, & the walkway from the driveway to the basement access & porch. Gone too are the open fencing and the lovely, charming garden atmosphere the yard once held.

The “summer kitchen” remains as a porch. The basement was accessible only from the outside. Inside were the laundry area and a darkroom Pat helped his son Pat build to nurture his budding interest in photography.

The quirky little garage that sits at the back corner of the property (as seen in present-day real estate photos). It is seen in many of Ruth’s early pictures, such as the next image.

Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4605 Belair Rd, was about 4 blocks from the Southern Ave house. This became the Verdone’s family church. As such, Ruth was baptized, confirmed & eventually married here.

Ruth in the backyard. The corner of the garage & the house at 4109 WoodLea Ave are visible behind.

Ruth prepares to wash the car as soon as her father is finished with the maintenance on the 2-door coupe.

A beaming Ruth ready to wash the car.

Ruth with her maternal grandfather Conrad Husted on the front steps.

Ruth with her mother in backyard near the summer kitchen with the corner of an outbuilding from Lot 4104 behind them & the barn at the back of the property.

Ruth in the backyard with the barn from Lot 4104 behind her. Sadly, the lovely barn was eventually torn down.

Ruth on the lawn near the front steps.

A cheerful Ruth with her doll seated at the bottom of the front steps.

Ruth at an unknown location.

Ruth in the backyard with the locally famous family grape arbor behind her.

Ruth in the backyard with the side and rear of 4104 behind her.

Ruth in the front yard with front and side of 4104 behind her.

Ruth with brothers Paul and Pat in backyard at the entrance to the grape arbor.

Ruth in the backyard near the grape arbor with a crazy, mixed-up dog.

Ruth probably seated in the front yard next to the driveway.

Ruth with Mary Spagnola & an unknown boy in the backyard near the garage. When Ruth’s father Pat left NY to look for work in Baltimore, Mary & her husband invited him stay with them. Pat, of course, had to send his entire paycheck to his father, so the generosity of strangers was essential. Once the Verdones moved, the families remained friends & Mary became Ruth’s godmother.

The Verdone family—Pat, Paul, Mildred, Ruth & Pat—at the bottom of the front steps, with 4110 behind them.

Ruth’s father Pat holding Cousin Linda (Aunt Victoria’s youngest) & Ruth. They are sitting on a basement access door. This was likely a family member’s home in Brooklyn, perhaps on 21st St.

Ruth in the backyard with her doll, the outbuilding and barn from 4104 are behind her.

Ruth with her doll in a rocking chair—the very same rocking chair still sits on the patio of the Camarillo house some 80 years later!

Ruth with Uncle Alvin Husted (her mother Mildred’s younger brother) in the backyard near the garage. The yard is quite lush and beautiful.

Cousin Linda (Aunt Victoria’s youngest child) & Ruth in backyard of Victoria’s house on 21st St in Brooklyn. This was the house with the shop at the front. There were also two apartments behind the house that Cousin Vera (Uncle Frank’s oldest child) lived in when she & Richard first married.

Ruth & two unknown kids standing in backyard with the side elevation of Ruth’s beloved 4104 behind them. She recalls the house including a fancy library downstairs at the back of house & a full attic with windows at the gable ends.

Cousin Vera (Uncle Frank’s oldest) & Ruth in front yard.

Ruth with brothers Pat (9 years older) and Paul (6 years older) in the front yard with the side of the house at 4104 behind them.

Family portrait with Pat, Paul & Ruth.

Ruth standing in front of her mother Mildred and Mildred’s mother Margaret. They are standing near the driveway, with the house on the left and the garage behind them. Margaret lived with the Verdones for half of each year.

Ruth with her maternal Grandma Margaret and Margaret’s father George M. Baier (1869-1947) in the front yard of the Southern Ave house.

Perhaps early experiments with color photography?

Ruth in another oddly colorized photo.

Ruth with Cousin Linda (Aunt Victoria’s youngest), possibly in the backyard of the 21st Ave house in Brooklyn. The structure was either an outdoor toilet or shed. The two small apartments are toward the back of the image.

≈1950—Ruth, approximately 8, strikes a pose in the backyard near the garage.

Ruth (8-9) at the beach with Cousins Marie (center) and Vera (right) (Uncle Frank’s children).

Ruth wither her Uncle Alvin (mother Mildred’s younger brother) and his wife Aunt Bettie in the front yard with the side of 4104 in the background.