Rita Neiderer celebrates her 60th summer in Rehoboth

Sitting on her porch with family, Rita Neiderer looks like many other grandmothers visiting Rehoboth Beach.

But for Neiderer, this summer is a special one as the 93-year-old mother of 10 enjoys her 60th summer in the Nation’s Summer Capital.

A native of Hanover, Pa., Neiderer first came down in 1957.

“My husband loved fishing and crabbing,” she said. “He came down here a couple times to Indian River Inlet. The first time we came down we stayed on Rehoboth Avenue in a little old house. There was a little alley alongside of it.”

Neiderer said the most enjoyable part of coming back has been bringing her family down every year. She said Rehoboth was an ideal place for her family.

“Ocean City was too fast for us. It wasn’t quite as commercialized as what Ocean City was,” Neiderer said.

Every year, Neiderer and her family rented a house, often on the south side of town at 119 New Castle St. or 18 Hickman St., but they have had places all over town; this year the family is staying at a house on Delaware Avenue. Neiderer recalled buying groceries at the former Lingo’s Market and packing picnic lunches for the kids to take on the beach.She said the biggest change in her 60 years has been the development on Route 1.

Her daughter, Diane Livelsberger also recalled days gone by.

“I remember when we could run beneath the Boardwalk and we could stick dollar bills between the cracks,” she said.

As for her favorite memory of Rehoboth, Neiderer said, “Getting on that beach and lying in the sun.” She then added, “Family.”