Southern Ocean Woman, 103, Reflects On History As U.S. Nears 250th Birthday

LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NJ — As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a 103-year-old Little Egg Harbor resident is reflecting on a life that has stretched across many of the country’s defining moments.

Maryanne “Mame” Rauth, who lives at The Terraces at Seacrest Village, recently celebrated her 103rd birthday, according to a news release from The Terraces at Seacrest Village. Rauth has lived through events ranging from World War II to the 1969 moon landing, along with decades of social and technological change.

Rauth grew up in Trenton with four sisters and two brothers. The release says she was inspired in 1932 by Amelia Earhart’s solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, which she remembered as reinforcing her admiration for independence and perseverance. She also recalled hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor on the radio and remembered the shock and sadness of that day.

During World War II, Rauth was among women who worked on a factory assembly line producing weapon materials for the military, according to the release. It also says she considered President Franklin D. Roosevelt a favorite because of his leadership during the Great Depression and the war years.

Rauth also remembered watching the moon landing in 1969, describing it as a surreal moment that had once seemed possible only in science fiction movies. In the years after the war, she built a life with her late husband, Conrad, after the two met at a dance. The couple later started a printing business, bought a home and raised three children.

Reflecting on her life as the nation marks its semiquincentennial, Rauth shared, “I have seen so many historic moments in my lifetime, and I have always felt grateful to have built a meaningful life in this country. It is something I never take for granted.”

Rauth moved to The Terraces at Seacrest Village in March 2025 and continues to live there, according to the release. To mark her birthday, Seacrest staff and fellow residents attended a party in her honor.

“Celebrating a 103rd birthday is something very special,” Bianca Sutlovich, life enrichment director at The Terraces at Seacrest Village, said in the release. “Maryanne has been a witness to so many important moments in American history, and we were thrilled to be able to make her day truly special.”

The Terraces at Seacrest Village is located at 281 Mathistown Road in Little Egg Harbor. The release says residents have access to programming, dining, apartments and rehab care through Seacrest Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center.