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 The centenarian has lived what she calls "a wonderful life" and
has a legacy of three children, 13 grandchildren, 20
great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Ida has called Friendship Manor her home for the past 14 years
and says it has been a wonderful place for her to live out her
years. "I couldn't think of being in a better place," she said.
Ida was born in California in a place that would later become a
well-known name in the world: Sunset Strip, Hollywood. Although it
wasn't the film mecca and celebrity-starred area that it is today,
Ida does recall films being shot right outside her home.
Ida said she had strict, but loving parents, and when she went
out she knew when she was supposed to be back in. She laughed,
recalling that the door would be open with her mom just inside
waiting for her return.
Her parents, Fred and Bertha Mahler, gave the family what Ida
calls a good childhood, but one that was without much in frills.
The family moved to Illinois in 1918, making the trek on a troop
train headed east and getting off in Lincoln, where there were
relatives Ida had never met.
Initially, they lived on a farm but later moved into Lincoln. Ida
said her father was a World War I veteran and a mason by trade. His
being a tradesman helped the family survive the tough years of the
Depression.
Ida laughed, saying she grew up in an age of no TV, no radio, and
when it was horses and buggies.
But, she says that she enjoys the modern world. She talked about
how amazing it was to talk and see her son Fred using Skype on her
daughter Sue's computer.
Ida said she married Roy Cutlip in 1936 and the couple had three
children: (William) Fred, Ronald and Sue.
Roy died away in 1955, and Ida said life was hard but she never
looked at it that way. She worked two or three jobs to make ends
meet and took in boys who were attending Lincoln Bible Institute to
help provide for the family.
Ida married Bob Sanders in 1962, and Bob died in 1985. A third
husband, Ed Stabbe, died in the mid-'90s.
Ida said she lived in a cabin on 40 acres in South Dakota with Ed
before he died, and she then came back to Lincoln. She laughed when
she said she carried a gun back in South Dakota but never could have
shot at anything.
Ida has had a very healthy century of living. She has had only
one operation; that was after she fell and broke three of her ribs.
She gives the credit for her long life and remarkable health to
several reasons.
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One, she never smoked and only occasionally enjoys a glass of
Mogan David wine. She also says she still loves to eat, but has
three sensible meals each day. Exercise is important to Ida, and she
says the twice-a-week exercise class at Friendship Manor helps her
feel better.
She also enjoys going shopping for groceries and according to her
daughter Sue still can play a
mean hand of pinochle when she gets the chance.
Sue said her mom still enjoys going out for a
ride, and Ida added: "I'll go somewhere whenever they want to take
me."
Although Ida could write a book about her memories, perhaps the
book she really should work on is her philosophy on life.
Ida said she has had her bad days like everyone else, but she
keeps them to herself. She said she prefers to talk to people about
good things in life rather than the bad.
"Don't dwell on bad things. Take the good things to your heart,"
she advises.
"I know we are all here for a purpose. Without a purpose there
isn't much in life," she says.
As Ida got ready for her exercise class, she added another gem:
"I have always been taken care of by someone mightier than me."
Observing her last statement, we'll tack on this observation:
going on for a second century.
[By
MIKE FAK]
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