Rose Bahr, 93, a ‘Meals’ pioneer

Rose Bahr, a Ridgefield resident for 33 years who was a Meals on Wheels volunteer from its beginnings, died Saturday afternoon, Aug. 6, 2005, at Danbury Hospital after a brief illness. She was 96 years old.

Mrs. Bahr was born Rose McGivney in Chappaqua, N.Y., on June 27, 1909, daughter of Frank and Rose Gavin McGivney. Her father emigrated from Ireland in the late 1800’s, played minor league baseball for several years before becoming a policeman on the Chappaqua Police Force.

Mrs. Bahr grew up and was educated in Chappaqua with her three sisters until her marriage to Robert Lang, a milk distributor in Yonkers, N.Y.

In 1930, the couple moved to Hawthorne, N.Y., where they raised three sons, Robert Jr., William and John. Mrs. Bahr became active in local politics and served as an officer in the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the local fire department for many years.

During World War II, when her husband was in the U.S. Navy, she cared for 42 foundling babies to supplement her husband’s military income.

Years later, in 1972, Mrs. Bahr moved to Ridgefield with her second husband, Harry Bahr, and had lived here ever since.

The couple joined the local Meals on Wheels Program in its infancy in 1974, delivering food to Ridgefield shut-ins. After Mr. Bahr’s death in 1985, Mrs. Bahr continued delivering meals until she retired at the age of 92. “The roads may be safer if I’m not driving any more,” she said last year.

Kay Cuny, president of Meals on Wheels, said, “Rose was one of our most dependable and caring drivers. She was highly regarded and will certainly be missed.”

In 1989, when she turned 80 years old, Mrs. Bahr was honored for her then 15 years of volunteering with Meals on Wheels. “She is very positive, religious and very good hearted,” fellow driver Betty Turitto said at the time. “She is the spirit and the force that drives us all to go out and do the job. We just love her down here.”

A dedicated lifelong Catholic, Mrs. Bahr had been an active member of St. Mary’s Church since her move to Ridgefield.

Her son, Robert Lang, a Ridgefield Realtor since 1972, said, “Mom became somewhat of a legend to many in town because she befriended so many people in all age groups and embraced them lovingly. She was admired by so many and a role model as well. She will be so very, very missed by us all.”

Besides her Ridgefield son, Mrs. Bahr is survived by two other sons, John Lang of Pleasantville, N.Y., and William Lang of Pocasset, Mass.; by her former husband, Robert Lang; by four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Wednesday in St. Mary’s Church.

Burial followed in All Souls Cemetery, Pleasantville, N.Y.

Contributions to the Meals-On-Wheels Program, 25 Gilbert Street or to the Visiting Nurse Association, 90 East Ridge, both of Ridgefield, 06877 would be appreciated.