Phot os by Cryst al Kelahan Wil ma L iebsch wit h he r childr en , Ted Liebsch of Grand Marais a nd Hope Bennet t o f Mi lwaukee, at the birthday party he ld in her h on or o n Feb ruary 6. The next day Wilma turned 100.
As the day of the party celebrating her 100th birthday neared, Wilma Liebsch was nervous. At least according to her friends. After the special day spent with her children Ted Liebsch of Grand Marais and Hope Bennett of Milwaukee, as well as dozens of friends from Grand Marais and as far away as California, Wilma relaxed and settled back into her routine at Harbor View Apartments, where she still lives independently.
The Cook County News-
Herald
spent a little time with Wilma and her friends at Harbor View during one of their usual Wednesday morning coffees. The coffee group said Wilma wasn’t herself before the party, but she had returned to her normal “cranky” self afterwards. Asked if she was cranky, Wilma gave a little grin and agreed, “Uh-huh.”
But talking to Wilma, one quickly sees that she is teasing. She handles the aches and pains that come with aging with grace and a good sense of humor. Pointing to her walker, she said, “I’m the world’s greatest faller.”
“But she bounces,” said her young neighbor, Jeff Fenwick, one of the coffee group that gets teased by Wilma. The primary target of Wilma’s teasing is apartment building manager Joe Kelahan. “He’s mean,” said Wilma with a mischievous twinkle as Kelahan protested.
Kelahan said they get along because they are both Irish. Wilma nodded impishly, “I have some Irish in me.”
Wilma was born on February 7, 1910 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She was not an only child but she said she felt like it. Her siblings were much younger. They are still living in Iowa; her sister is 91 and her brother is 83. “They were so much younger that I didn’t really play with them,” recalled Wilma.
“I was a tomboy,” she remembered. She said she liked playing with the little calves on the farm and making tree houses. “I liked being outdoors a lot and I worked hard.”
Good personality traits for life on the North Shore. Wilma and her husband, Glenn, moved to Cook County in 1958 when they purchased Sandgren’s Motel (now the Mangy Moose Motel) on Highway 61 in Grand Marais. She said a lot has changed in Grand Marais over the years, including her church, the First Baptist Church in Grand Marais. She said she is
happy that the church, now Cornerstone Community Church, has a new building. The other, she said, “was old when I got here!”
Wilma also recalled a building long gone— Horen’s Hamburger Shop (which eventually became an A&W Restaurant). She and her son Ted both worked at the hamburger place. Wilma said she made donuts at the hamburger shop. “We started the donut making in Grand Marais!” she said.
She is sad that the old school that was on the grounds of Harbor View Apartments is gone. She said she also misses the old Masonic Temple Hall. She remembers gathering mushrooms near the hall.
Of her working life, Wilma said she also worked as a bookkeeper and added, “I’ve done lots!”
Her friends at Harbor View, like Nicki Boostrom, said she is still working. “She bakes for us. She lets us know what’s happening and where we need to go. And she entertains us.”
The Harbor View residents take turns providing treats for the Wednesday morning coffees, and centenarian Wilma takes her turn.
She also continues to be out in the community. She and her friend Catherine Borka go out for breakfast three or four times a week. They also play cards—a favorite of many of the residents is a game called Push. Wilma is the scorekeeper.
Kelahan said not only is Wilma a sharp card player, a master baker, and a friend to all of the Harbor View residents and the greater Grand Marais community, she also has the unique status of being the only 100-year-old living independently in all of the apartment buildings managed by Oliver Management.
Wilma was delighted to hear that. “I wouldn’t want to live anyplace else!”
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