Celebrating a centenarian

Family and friends of Evelyn Walber gathered last week to celebrate the Port Washington woman’s 100th birthday. Walber, who has lived at Harbor Campus in Port Washington for the last five months, held her cake during a party on Jan. 12 (lower right photo). Her family and friends held an open house celebration Jan. 15 at Holy Cross Church. Surrounding Walber (lower left photo) were her children Arline Schueller, Pat Buechler, Sandy Stenberg, Diane Bryant, Rosemary Johnson and Arnold Walber, while a crowd of family members surrounded her for a celebratory picture (top photo). Walber was born on Jan. 12, 1922, in the Town of Fredonia, one of 14 children born to Catherine and Frank Schmitz. She married Joseph Walber on June 12, 1943, and the couple farmed in the Town of Belgium. They had six children, 16 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Walber said the best invention in her lifetime was indoor plumbing, saying, “I was not a fan of outdoor toilets and bringing the water in and heating it up for washing.” The biggest changes she’s seen, she said, include the fact that small farms are dwindling while large operations are getting so big and the fact churches seem less sacred and people no longer dress up for worship services. Her greatest accomplishments, she said, are living so long and raising respectable children. Left on her bucket list is going to visit all her children, she said, adding her fondest memories include becoming a great-grandmother and having twins in the family. Walber enjoys doing puzzles, exercising, reading, watching “Wheel of Fortune,” playing bingo and listening to the music of Elvis Presley. Walber said the key to living so long is working hard, and her advice to others is to keep busy and not dwelling on how bad things are.                                                                        Photos by Sam Arendt