100-year-old’s secret to longevity

Photo: Jackie Rybeck

BIRTHDAY GIRL — Esther Miller celebrated her 100th birthday on February 1. Her day was full of parties, visitors, cards and flowers, but to her it was just another day.

NORWAY — The fountain of youth may be a myth, but if there is anyone who might know the secret, it is Esther Miller, a resident of Norway Rehab and Living Center.

You see … she turned 100 years old on February 1, and her day could not have been more complete.

Her room was full of cards and flowers, including a bouquet of 100 roses. The phone was ringing off the hook, and visitors were continually knocking at her door.

“I’m tickled with all the attention,” she giggled. “But it’s just another day.”

Some 36,500 days ago, when Esther was born, there were crank telephones, the television hadn’t even been invented yet and if you had a vehicle, it was a Model T.

Yet on Esther’s 100th birthday, she celebrated by visiting with people as far away as Kansas and England … through Skype.

One of her most important web-cam visitors was the second-grade class of Melissa Reuter at the Hartford-Sumner Elementary School. Miller’s great-granddaughter Casey Mae Raymond, attends the class and she, along with her schoolmates, were celebrating 100 days of school.

“This is just amazing,” said Esther as the students sang Happy Birthday to her.

As part of celebrating 100 days of school, the students were full of questions, ranging from “what did you play with?” to “how did you heat your home?”

Esther smiled as she answered each question.

The children’s eyes widened as she explained how she had to wind her phone up in order to use it and the classroom roared with laughter as she told them how she tried to climb a horse and it kept throwing her off.

Later in the day a large group of relatives and staff joined together in celebration.

So what’s her secret to longevity and does she own the fountain of youth?

“Goodness no,” she laughed. “But I’ll tell you my secret! I do crosswords, get my B-12 shot and eat Hershey’s miniatures every day.”