LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler upon the
occasion of celebrating her 100th Birthday

WHEREAS, The year 1912 was a memorable year; the luxury liner Titanic
made its maiden, and only voyage, New Mexico and Arizona became states,
the Boston Red Sox opened Fenway Park, stamps were 2 cents, and, on
February 20, Hugo and Amalie Ruttkamp welcomed their only daughter,
Amelia, into the world; and
WHEREAS, On February 20, 2012, Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler celebrated a
rare milestone, her 100th Birthday; and
WHEREAS, Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to German immigrants,
Amelia grew up on Long Island where she enjoyed a quiet childhood and
was a voracious reader; her appetite for reading and knowledge served
her well and led her to earn a diploma from Brown Business School on
Long Island; and
WHEREAS, Upon graduation Amelia began a career as a secretary and
eventually met, and married, Bernard Winkler; the couple moved to Jamai-
ca, Long Island, where Bernard opened a dry cleaning business and they
began raising their family of three children: Ruth, Doris and Edward;
and
WHEREAS, A proud homemaker, Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler enjoyed caring for
her family and kept a number of German traditions alive; she loved to
cook and bake and her family always looked forward to the traditional
foods she would make for them, including Rouladen, a rolled meat; Spat-
zle, homemade noodles; and Stollen, a Christmas bread; and
WHEREAS, In 1956 Bernard and Amelia resolved to leave city life and
move to upstate New York to begin a new chapter in their lives; their
daughter, Ruth Weaver, remembers it was quite a surprise when her
parents decided to move to Upstate New York and become chicken farmers;
and
WHEREAS, Though it was a rather drastic lifestyle change, they enjoyed
the peaceful countryside of Cobleskill; and
WHEREAS, In 2000, Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler's granddaughter Alicia and
her husband, Tim Archer, helped Bernard and Amelia relocate to Fulton,
New York, so they would be closer to their family and, in 2002, before
her husband's passing in 2004, Amelia moved to the St. Luke Nursing Home
in Fulton where she continues to reside today; and
WHEREAS, Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler's great-grandchildren, Annaliese, 10
and Nathaniel, 9, love spending time with their great-grandmother and
enjoy the cookies she always has for them, and Amelia, too, looks
forward to their visits; and
WHEREAS, With family and friends gathered around her in the community
room at St. Luke Nursing Home to celebrate her 100th Birthday, Amelia
Winkler, impeccably dressed in a white blouse and a blue plaid jacket, a
new hairdo, complete with tiara, and a corsage, beamed as she cut her
birthday cake and visited with well-wishers; and
WHEREAS, A mother of three, a grandmother of six and a great-grand-
mother of 15, Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler has, and continues to lead, a life
filled with happiness and precious memories and, as she celebrated 100
years, she wished her family members well and expressed her hope they
would live to be 100 as well; and
WHEREAS, This exceptional centenarian, with her zest for life, has
inspired and enhanced the lives of her family and friends; and
WHEREAS, This distinguished woman, who has experienced the incredible
joys and sorrows characteristic of and reserved for those with the
stamina and courage to savor a full life, has inspired the lives of her
many friends and family; and

WHEREAS, This beloved lady has enriched the lives of those around her
through her joyous and sincere love for others and through the quiescent
charm and wisdom which come only from a fullness of years; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to publicly recognize
those who have reached such a remarkable age and who have witnessed and
celebrated the innovations, cultural developments, and awesome achieve-
ments of this country during the last century, while themselves contrib-
uting to the growth and excellence of this great Empire State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler upon the occasion of celebrating
her 100th Birthday; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Amelia Ruttkamp Winkler.