Robert Goth poses for a photo with his family at the Bremen town center Thursday, Aug. 23. From left: Robert Goth’s daughter-in-law, Brenda Goth; daughter, Cordelia Goth; great-granddaughter, Leah Nickerson; Robert Goth; his son, Peter Goth; and his daughter-in-law, Wendy Pieh. (Alexander Violo photo)
At 97, Robert C. Goth still mows the family’s lawn. The Bremen Board of Selectmen recognized him as the town’s eldest resident during a ceremony at the town center Thursday, Aug. 23.
Selectman Hank Nevins presented Robert Goth with a 1946 replica of the town’s Boston Post Cane and a plaque during a ceremony attended by several of the honoree’s family members, including his children, in-laws, and great-granddaughter.
Robert Goth is the father-in-law of Bremen Board of Selectmen Chair Wendy Pieh.
After Nevins presented the cane to Goth, his son, Dr. Peter Goth, said a few words on his father.
Peter Goth said the family has lived in Bremen for about 20 years. He said longevity runs in the family, as his grandmother lived to 100.
Peter Goth said that for his father’s 97th birthday, the family got him a lawnmower, because he still mows the lawn and takes care of the lawnmowing equipment.
He “does a better job than any of us,” Peter Goth said.
“I keep (the lawnmower) right outside my door where I can keep an eye on it,” Robert Goth said.
Robert Goth thanked everyone for coming and expressed his affection for his family.
“I love the family. I love all of you,” he said.
Pieh said the first time she met her father-in-law was in Lesotho, a small country encircled by South Africa, when Robert Goth was 70.
“Peter’s way of introducing his father to me was to bring him to Lesotho, where I was working,” Pieh said.
Pieh said they were working on a horse farm. Robert Goth worked with a horse that had been trained to bite and kick people it didn’t like, but it got along famously with her father-in-law.
“The horse never did that to him. That horse loved him and I do too,” Pieh said.
Brenda Goth, another daughter-in-law, recalled a hiking trip with the family patriarch in 1980.
Brenda Goth said the hike started at 10,000 feet, lasted a couple of weeks, and ended at 14,000 feet.
“It took a couple of weeks up hard terrain and Rob did splendidly,” Brenda Goth said.
According to Nevins, the replica cane remains on display in the hallway at the town center, but the plaque goes home with the recipient.
