It’s well known that they have more fun. This tonguein cheek observation came to me because of the birthday of one of our parishioners at St. John’s. Last Wednesday, Lucille Pettijohn of our parish celebrated her 98th birthday. Our after-morning-Mass crowd gathered at the Senior Center to serenade and congratulate her. Lu is remarkably spry, and other than a few very small gripes about life once in a very great while, she is at Mass every morning of the week, is rarely in her apartment – even if she says she’s always at home – plays cards, volunteers in the parish office, and you’ll see her driving around town in her Buick at all hours of the day.
And this got me thinking about a bunch of other Catholics here at St. John’s who are doing remarkably well with significant ages. Our oldest parishioner is the wonderful, gentle and gracious Millie Mainella who is 102 years old and whose mind and memory are in remarkably good shape.
Just a little younger is the feisty Maybelle Skou who celebrated her 100th birthday in May. Maybelle was a guest of honor at the liturgy at St. John’s to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the building of the first St. John’s Church on June 25.
Beatrice Noga, living with her family at Golden Eagle Lodge, was 97 years old last January, and Willard Nelson will be 97 next November. Willard regales me with the most amazing stories of his younger years when I visit him.
Phyllis Wassall up there on the Cramer Road is 96 years old and in great shape. Dorothe Vaughan (a fine artist in her day) is also 96.
Rose Goble, a pillar of St. John’s for almost 70 years, and you’ll see her at Mass every Saturday evening, is 93 years old. And you’ll see Joe Haas at daily Mass, and he’s 91.
The wonderful Iola Wojtysiak turned 90 last January. Iola is a greeter at our Sunday morning Mass and has been known to show the ushers how they might better their performance.
The baby of the 90s crowd is Henry Wehseler, who turned 90 last June.
And I could give you an even longer list of parishioners in their 80s.
Which gets me back to my opening question, with tongue in cheek: Isn’t Catholic the way to go if you want a long life?
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Father Seamus Walsh of St. John’s Catholic Church in Grand Marais.
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