Dealership matriarch Mrs. G dies at 101

She was known for her storytelling and listening skills. Her ability to make people feel welcomed and appreciated made her irreplaceable.

Ruth Grappone, matriarch of Grappone Automotive Group in Bow, N.H., died Dec. 31 at age 101.

Although she didn't have a formal job title at the five-franchise dealership group, she wore many hats throughout her 77 years in the business.

Granddaughter Amanda Grappone Osmer told Automotive News that her most prized role was being her husband's "constant companion."

She married John Grappone in 1940. Their wedding date was also her official start date at Grappone Ford.

"It's a joke in our family," said Osmer, the group's director of corporate potential. "Once you marry into the Grappone family, you're a lifer, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Instead of being found in meetings or an office, Mrs. G, as she was called, was often in the showroom greeting customers, bringing in treats or talking to team members.

Her husband dedicated 79 years to the family business before he died in 2012. She kept a photo of him on a table in the Ford dealership's showroom until she retired three years ago at age 98.

The business was started by John's parents as a filling station in 1924 before car sales began in 1929.