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鈥� life.
The Mill Run native, born Aug. 12, 1923, grew up on a farm with her parents and her seven siblings.
鈥淚 outlived them all,鈥� 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 used to working,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I was taught.鈥�
The lesson carried over into her adult life, as she tended to the work around her own home 鈥� everything from painting to scrubbing floors to shoveling snow from her driveway.
鈥淎 neighbor asked me if I wanted help, but I like to do my own work,鈥� 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.
鈥淭hat made me feel good,鈥� she said.
Hawkins鈥� 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.
鈥淚 like to help if I can,鈥� Hawkins said.
Staff and residents at Monarch Meadow planned to celebrate with Hawkins on Saturday. It鈥檒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鈥� grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
鈥淚 have a big family when they all get together,鈥� she said.
She took a motorcycle ride with one of her grandsons at the time, but admitted it鈥檚 not her cup of tea.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 fun,鈥� 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 鈥淥ur Daily Bread鈥� every day.
鈥淚 get down here on my knees every night before I go to bed, and I say, 鈥楲ord, when I can鈥檛 take care of myself, please let me fall asleep鈥�,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want anyone taking care of me, and I know where I鈥檓 going when I die, I鈥檓 going to heaven. And that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 looking forward to.鈥�
So solid is she in her faith, Hawkins wouldn鈥檛 even take the advice from her son (a minister), who told her she didn鈥檛 need to kneel to pray.
鈥淲hen I think how the Lord suffered for me, I can surely get down on my knees and say my prayers at night,鈥� she said.
As to her secret for a long life, Hawkins didn鈥檛 hesitate to give the God鈥檚 honest truth.
鈥淗ard work (and) faith in the Lord. That鈥檚 the main thing,鈥� she said.