I write to express my appreciation to a citizen of Maine, the United States and, in fact, the world, who died this past fall after almost 95 years on this planet. Her name is Ruth Wiles.

Our lives first intersected when she hosted me as an exchange student at Oxford Hills High School in Paris during the 1965-1966 academic year. She lived in Norway at the time.

For those who didn’t know her, a bit of history. After finishing her training as a nurse, she contributed to her community and society as a school nurse, a mother of four and as host to an exchange student. In addition to holding down a full-time job, she ran a household as a baker, cook and wife. She also was a member of a church.

Though she grew up in a small town (Roxbury), she exhibited a keen interest in other cultures and places and expanded her horizon by exchanging ideas and information with others about what her world brought to others and vice versa. The result was a long-standing bond and rewarding experience for both parties. You might say she helped build a bridge between the United States and my place of birth (Ethiopia) by participating in the student-exchange program.

She showed a rare curiosity in other people’s traditional dress, cuisine, customs and engineering accomplishments. She would ask me, “What is that big fabric wrap called that you brought me from Ethiopia?” “What is the roasted barley snack called?”

Through my re-connection with her for the past eight years, I satisfied her curiosity by answering her questions about my homeland and brought her things such as wine, “kolo” and shawls. I also sat down to have a bite with her. She enjoyed lobster rolls and ice coffee, as I remember it.

She was also adventurous and visited landmarks, such as the Panama Canal, through which she cruised in the recent past.

She often told me how she regretted the fact that she “did not dig deeper to learn more about your culture when you were here with us.” I responded that she did more than compensate for that by initiating and accepting the responsibility of having an exchange student as part of her family.

Indeed, she accomplished a lot in her life. She showed an independent spirit by driving herself to wherever she needed to go in her own automobile until just a few years ago. Up until her last days, she was lucid, still curious, gracious and strong. To explain that last word, she lost her youngest child and oldest son under very tragic circumstances. She also lost her husband, James Wiles, due to a sudden medical event. In spite of those tragedies, she persevered and lived her life.

As human beings, we have to face the fact that we are in this world for a limited time. When our time is up, we depart, leaving those who love us and who we love, family and friends, to grieve but to also celebrate the life and accomplishments.

It was with great sadness to find out that Ruth Wiles’ life came to end in October, 2015. Three weeks before she died, I made it a point to go and visit her. She asked if I was doing OK and if I was sitting comfortably, rather than worrying about her own health.

Very recently, I did join members of her family and other friends from the area and beyond to say my final farewell to her.

Yohannes Buta lives in Cambridge, Mass.