My great grandmother lived a longer and higher quality of life than most. She is a faded version of her daughter, my
grandmother who is now 98 years old.
So what does that mean for me? Will I grow to be old as Methuselah as well? So how did this happen? How did my great-grandmother, Ida, live to be 104 years old? How did my grandmother, Cathryn, live to be 98 years old and the last of her 12 siblings to be living? My mother, Vera, is 78 years old and still seems to be living a life of long existence as well.
I created this blog to sort through all the possible secrets of my family's long life lines.
This is my Great Grandmother Ida's only proof of birth
My great grandmother Ida gave birth to 13 children and was hardly ever sick, never had any operations and drank like a fish. She was often seen with my great grandfather staggering down the street in the small town they lived in. She continued to get comfortably numb most of her life until she moved in with her daughter when she was in her 80s. She would often be heard saying "I sure would like a snootful about right now!" She never looked her age and continued to have good health until she was around 103 and had to have hip replacement and was then living in a nursing home after that until she passed. She was in her right mind and never developed alzheimers or dementia. Grandmother Ida knew everyone up to the day she died.
"My grandmother is over 80 and still doesn't need glasses. She drinks right out of the bottle."-Henny Youngman
Here is a line-up of the ages of deaths on down the family tree
Ida's mother, Rhoda, died at age 70 of Dropsy (Edema (swelling), often caused by kidney or heart disease)
Ida's father, Tom, died at age 93 of old age
Ida's grandmother on her father's side=72
Ida's grandfather on her father's side=85
Ida's grandmother on her mother's side=77
Ida's grandfather on her mother's side=39
Grandfather's Side
unknown
70
92
43
Grandmother's Side
87
38
83
72
When Ida was 100 years old, she received a letter from the president, Ronald Reagan, and former president, Jimmy Carter.
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This is my grandmother Cathryn
My grandmother, Ida's daughter, Cathryn, gave birth to 2 children, was sick a lot, had a lot of surgerys, and didn't drink. She did smoke cigeretts until around 75 years old. She has always looked younger than she is and will tell you that in order to have glowing skin, you should use Oil of Olay on your face in the mornings and Vitamin E cream on your face at night which she has done all her life. She has always been the best cook in the family and still cooks with the help of her home-health nurse who comes in four days a week, which is also her great-granddaughter (My daughter Heather).
To this day, she gets out and has her hair done, goes shopping and loves to go to the beach every year! Her birthday is October 30, 1919 and she will be 99 years old this October!
"I have too many years left, no matter how old I am."-Author Unknown
This is my mother Vera
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My mother, Cathryn's daughter, Vera, gave birth to myself and my brother. She was sick with rheumatic fever when she was a child, and had a heart attack in her 40s. She hasn't had any other problems with her heart since the heart attack. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2001 but it doesn't take away from her quality of life at 78 years old. She never drank but did smoke until her late 20s. She too, looks younger than she really is and she uses Oil of Olay on her face. She is another one that loves to shop and vacation!
"The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future."-Theodore Roosevelt
THIS IS MYSELF
Myself...well let me tell you about me! I look younger than I really am...for sure!! I am 58 years old. I have had a pretty exciting life with a little drinking socially and really tying one on at times to the point of staggering some. I gave birth to 3 children and have always had good health with no operations. I smoke cigarettes but not as much as my husband. I love to shop and vacation...It's in my blood!! Also in my blood are the same genes as my great grandmother, Ida!! I am so happy to know that I might get to see my great great great grandchildren!!!
Here are the living five generations.
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Here is the whole family. Grandmother Cathryn and her daughter Vera and husband with Vera's 2 children Myself and my brother with all of my three kids and grandkids so far. (I have another grandbaby on the way!!)
Thank you for reading!!
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Please Note:All of my pictures are my own, unless otherwise stated, either taken with my digital camera Kodak 14MP, or an actual picture from my huge collection for many years that I have scanned to my computer to use.
