Four amazing ladies have achieved an age of 100 years or older including from left to right: Mildred Hoffert who is exactly 100 years old, Gertude Leeseman who is 100, Esther Johnson who will be 100 this April, and Hilma Theobald who is 106 years old.
 

The last of the “firsts” in the new St. Clara’s with luncheon honoring centenarians Esther Johnson, Gertrude Leesman, Hilma Theobald and Mildred Hoffert

[February 13, 2019]  On Tuesday, St. Clara’s Rehab and Senior Care celebrated centenarian residents with a special luncheon. Family members were invited to join the four ladies who have achieved the age of 100 years and older - Esther Johnson, Gertrude Leesman, Hilma Theobald and Mildred Hoffert.

The event was hosted by the St. Clara’s activity staff including Activity Director Rebecca Johnson, Linda Bree and Marie Parr. The special guests were also joined by the new St. Clara’s Administrator, Gail McGinnis. McGinnis has been with the manor since October of 2018 and will also be in attendance at the one-year anniversary open house this evening (Wednesday, February 13th.)

For the activity staff and residents at St. Clara’s the luncheon on Tuesday was the “last of the firsts” at the new facility. Last year the luncheon was held at the former facility on Fifth Street just days before the move to the new location.

The staff and residents then made the big move on February 14th, and began a year of holding “first time at the new place” events thereafter.

This week, the day was opened with a photo session at the living wall outside the Activity Room at St. Clara’s. The four centenarians posed for a group shot, then were joined by the staff for a second photo. Then those who wished were invited to have a photo taken at the wall with family members.

When the photo ops were finished the group moved back to the activity room for the luncheon.

As Bree, Parr, and McGinnis prepared to serve lunch, Johnson welcomed the centenarians and their family members and opened the day with a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing for the guests of honor. Before bowing in prayer Johnson spoke to the four ladies saying, “This is a moment in time, a time to celebrate a unique club. St. Clara’s is very, very thankful you are here.”

While lunch - potato soup, ham and cheese sandwich, relish tray, and apple pie with ice cream - was being served guests were invited to take a short quiz comparing today’s consumer prices to those of 100 years ago.

After lunch the group participated in a time of reviewing their answers to the quiz.

In 1913, which is the year that Hilma Theobald was born, a postage stamp costs two cents. The price today is 55 cents.

In 1915 a quart of milk was 17 cents. Today a gallon of milk (at Aldi) is 89 cents. It is much higher in other stores. Johnson also noted that she started out with comparing a gallon of milk, but discovered that in 1915 gallons of milk were not offered.

In 1917, a gallon of gasoline was 15 cents. Today it is $2.29.

In 1918, a loaf of bread was seven cents. The lowest priced breads today were found at Dollar General for $1.50 and at Walmart for 98 cents.

Surprisingly, one of the highest priced items 100 years ago was a dozen eggs. Johnson relayed that eggs in 1919 were 34 cents per dozen. Today at Aldi they can be purchased for 88 cents, and are comparatively priced in other stores as well.

After the quiz, Johnson went on to speak briefly following the same theme of time passed. She said that we speak about the youth of today being our future, but the women in the room are among those who have shaped our world. They have left their signature on our history.

She said that she had talked to some of the ladies about the news they see and read today and asked their opinions.

Esther Johnson noted that she follows the news and pays attention to what is going on in the world, and admitted that she worries for the future of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Gertrude Leesman said she too pays attention to the news, but feels that there isn’t a whole lot she can do about what is going on in the world today.

Johnson also offered a review of the history of our world and our country in the life time of the four women.

In 1913 when Hilma was born, Woodrow Wilson was the President. Though he hated war, he took the country into war that year.

In 1917 when Gertrude was born, Wilson was still the President and the White Sox won the world series.

In 1918 when Millie was born, was also the year that saw the first woman to join the Marine Corps.

Esther was born in 1919 and that was the year that the dial telephone was invented. It was also that year that the state of Oregon established the first tax on gasoline (now we know who to blame) and the Grand Canyon became a National Park.

Moving on through the years after these ladies were born, Johnson noted that in 1922 insulin was invented as a treatment for diabetes. In 1926 the Cardinals won the World Series. Television and Penicillin came to be in 1928. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred in 1929, which was also the year the stock market plunged, setting off the great depression.

Johnson said that all these amazing things happened during the lifetime of the four guests of honor. These are strong women who have lived our nation’s history, and through it all they have maintained one strong constant, a belief in and love of God.

As the day began to wind down, Johnson handed out special gifts to each of the four ladies and told them that the table centerpieces were theirs to take back to their rooms.

She thanked all the family members who had come to share the special day with the ladies and invited them all to stay as long as they wished to visit with their loved ones.

[Nila Smith]