Virginia Muise, who was believed to be the oldest New England resident, died on Nov. 2. Cause of death was not released. She was 111.
Listed by the Gerontology Research Group as the 31st oldest person in the world, Muise was born in Nova Scotia on July 27, 1893. During the 1917 ammunition ship explosion in Halifax, she was temporarily trapped in her home when the ceiling caved in. The incident eventually killed 2,000 people, injured another 9,000 and blew out windows all over the city.
Muise immigrated to Boston in 1923 and worked as a cook and housekeeper. She later served as the manager of the former Boston Lying-In Hospital cafeteria, where she remained until her retirement in 1958. Muise’s husband, Charles, was a blacksmith; he died in 1977 at the age of 94.
A lifelong baseball fan, Muise frequently took advantage of the ticket discounts offered to women at Fenway Park. She kept a Red Sox cap in her bedroom and was thrilled to see her favorite team win the World Series last month.
On Muise’s 110th birthday, New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson proclaimed July 27, 2003 to be “Virginia Muise Day.” The supercentenarian is survived by four children, 18 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
I married into the Muise family and quickly discovered their family history of longevity. My new father-in-law, J. Howard Muise, was the baby in a family of twelve children born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. One of his older siblings was Virginia. My father-in-law passed away in January 2004 at the age of 96 knowing that his big sister was possibly going to celebrate her 111th birthday in July of 2004.
Years ago he proudly took a group of seven of his Massachusetts and Florida family with him to NH for Virginia’s 100th birthday. I was part of that group and amazed to watch this petite 100-year-old lady basked in the gathering of so many of her relatives and family. Her joy of being in their company not the fact that it was all for her.
She was given a gold-capped cane from the mayor of her hometown and treated to a ride around town in the town’s fire truck. She had to be given a bit of assistance getting into the passenger side of the fire truck – she couldn’t step up into the truck – she needed a foot stool to reach it. Once inside the truck, she quickly scooted left and grabbed onto the steering wheel. Aunt Virginia had to be coaxed into relinquishing it to the much younger fireman who was taking her on her birthday tour of the town. This was a 100 year-old lady with spunk.
Hi, she is some how related to me. cant remeber..
I only just found out about Virginia , I wonder if the muise family from Cape Breton Island are related.
Glen Muise
I guess she had spunk…I’m just landing on this site. Very interesting.
I’m looking for Muse from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Born about 1878, seems to be Mi’kMaq. I understand there’s several ways to spell Muse, Muis, Muise and Meuse. Very confusing.
Once again, congratulations to all the Muise family..Barbara
This is really interesting. I am from MA and wondering if in some distant way we are intertwined?
Virginia Muise was my father’s mother’s mother’s sister. So she was my great-great aunt. I don’t think I ever met her in person, but she attended my parents’ wedding back in 1978. My dad said she gave them a huge bag of coins to use in Vegas on their honeymoon as her wedding gift to them!
I’m currently working on family genealogy with a cousin and am delighted at the amount of info there is about Aunt Virginia on the web. She even has her own entry in Wikipedia.org!
Great story, and it appears the muise family has strong life lines as my Grand father from Yarmouth Nova Scotia lived until his late 90’s. My dad is name John Nelson who grew up in Yarmouth and was very good friends with Herb Leblanc from the same area. Not sure where we fit in with respect to family trees but it doesn’t matter as it was a pleasure to read this story about Virginia.
Jeff Muise
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Virginia was my great grandmother so I know how much spunk she really had. A truly amazing women! We all miss her and her stories very much! My son was the recipient of the baseball cap she had of the Boston Red Socks, and proudly displays it in his room.
Hello: I just found this site and read with interest you are looking for any Muise’s from Yarmouth, NS. My Father-in-law, Joseph Henry Muise was from Yarmouth. His father was Gabrial Muise, mother was Nellie Devou (Not sure of the spelling)
His brothers were Bill, Art, Donald & Stanley. I believe all are gone now. Joseph moved to NY in the late 1920’s. I have some ancestry history of the family and would love to hear your relation to us if any and share names/history with you.
I live in upstate New York.
Ann
virginia was my mother’s mother. She was an awesome person we will always miss her. Michele Doucette from New Brunswick has written books on the Muise Genealogy. We have Nana & Grandpa’s line back to 1450. Her husband Charles D Muise died @ 94 in 1977 . Virginia Muise & Charles d muise orig from Cheticamp NS were 3rd cousins hense they were both Muise