Faith and hard work: Mill Run woman celebrates 100th birthday
For the past 100 years, work and faith have been the cornerstones of Betty Hawkins无毛视频� life.
The Mill Run native, born Aug. 12, 1923, grew up on a farm with her parents and her seven siblings.
无毛视频淚 outlived them all,无毛视频� she said, as she prepared to mark a century of life.
Growing up, Hawkins said, she helped out on the family farm and went to work with her father, a coal miner, offering to shovel coal.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 used to working,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 what I was taught.无毛视频�
The lesson carried over into her adult life, as she tended to the work around her own home 无毛视频� everything from painting to scrubbing floors to shoveling snow from her driveway.
无毛视频淎 neighbor asked me if I wanted help, but I like to do my own work,无毛视频� she said.
Hawkins also worked outside of the house, and was employed in the restaurant industry. She particularly enjoyed the decade of work she did at a restaurant in Normalville, proudly noting the owner told her he never had an employee like her.
无毛视频淭hat made me feel good,无毛视频� she said.
Hawkins无毛视频� husband Thomas died in 2009, and about five years ago, she moved into Monarch Meadow Personal Care Home in Uniontown. There, she continued to work.
Lori Heminger, activities director at Monarch Meadow, said Hawkins helped kitchen when she first arrived, doing dishes and pushing the food cart. Now, she still empties her own plate, and cleans most of her room herself.
无毛视频淚 like to help if I can,无毛视频� Hawkins said.
Staff and residents at Monarch Meadow planned to celebrate with Hawkins on Saturday. It无毛视频檒l be the second celebration of her 100 years, since her son, who lives in Maryland, threw her a party last month that included Hawkins无毛视频� grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
无毛视频淚 have a big family when they all get together,无毛视频� she said.
She took a motorcycle ride with one of her grandsons at the time, but admitted it无毛视频檚 not her cup of tea.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 think it无毛视频檚 fun,无毛视频� she said, but went because it made him happy.
What does make her happy is her continued ability to be independent, and her deep religious faith. Hawkins watches preachers on television, and reads her Bible and 无毛视频淥ur Daily Bread无毛视频� every day.
无毛视频淚 get down here on my knees every night before I go to bed, and I say, 无毛视频楲ord, when I can无毛视频檛 take care of myself, please let me fall asleep无毛视频�,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 want anyone taking care of me, and I know where I无毛视频檓 going when I die, I无毛视频檓 going to heaven. And that无毛视频檚 what I无毛视频檓 looking forward to.无毛视频�
So solid is she in her faith, Hawkins wouldn无毛视频檛 even take the advice from her son (a minister), who told her she didn无毛视频檛 need to kneel to pray.
无毛视频淲hen I think how the Lord suffered for me, I can surely get down on my knees and say my prayers at night,无毛视频� she said.
As to her secret for a long life, Hawkins didn无毛视频檛 hesitate to give the God无毛视频檚 honest truth.
无毛视频淗ard work (and) faith in the Lord. That无毛视频檚 the main thing,无毛视频� she said.