The faces of a century

As we close in on the end of 2013, it's hard to image that only 100 years ago, women did not yet have the right to vote. The zipper, the moving assembly line and the crossword puzzle were bright new inventions, but not every home had running water or electricity. Mary Damitz, Alice Graefe, Gladys Barks and Nettie Welty remember those days, and have recently, or will soon, celebrate their 100th birthdays. TBY staffers Robyn Gautschy and Laura Simon caught up with each of them recently to hear about their lives, and how they made it to the century mark.

Mary Damitz, age 101

Mary Damitz, 101 years old, inside Chateau Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Born Oct. 5, 1912, in Corning, Ark.

Most folks know Mary Damitz as "Mary O," from her maiden name, Mary Oliver Black. Though she has lived at Chateau Girardeau for 28 years, she has spent the majority of her life on the move. She attended the University of Illinois at Champaign and married her high school sweetheart in 1936 -- he worked for the Illinois highway department at the time, and Mary was a teacher.

"The first 25 years we were married we moved 28 times," she says -- mostly among "podunk" towns in Southern Illinois, as well as Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana and California. "I knew what he wanted to do -- to be a construction engineer -- so I knew this was what my life would be. I was not disappointed that we didn't buy a house and live somewhere. However, in all this moving around, I never had much of a choice of the house we lived in."

The housing market was tight after the war, she says, and the couple was lucky if they had a choice between two houses to live in.

"I've lived in houses with no running water, no bathroom, houses that were more than 100 years old. In Texas we lived in a house where you could see straight through the floor," she recalls. "But we always moved our own furniture, and the children's play things, their swing set and bicycles."

In 1960, the family moved back to Southeast Missouri, where Mary taught junior high and high school until 1976, when she retired. Since then, she has traveled extensively, mostly as part of tourist groups. She's been to England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Israel, Trinidad, Istanbul, Turkey, Africa, China, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean and all over the U.S., including trips up and down the Mississippi River.

Mary has two daughters, five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson. Her husband passed away after 50 years of marriage.

Mary jokes that her secret to a long life has been "clean living and a pure heart."

"I think the funniest thing about being 100 years old is that I'll think about something and say I need to ask someone about that, or I need to talk to someone about that, and then I realize ... they aren't here anymore," she says. "I'm not sad about it, but it amazes me that I don't have anyone left to ask."

Alice Graefe, 101 years old, inside Chateau Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Alice Graefe, age 101

Born Sept. 20, 1912, in Cape Girardeau

Alice Graefe, a resident of Chateau Girardeau, is known for her handmade greeting cards, which are sold in the center's gift shop and bistro.

"I enjoy doing that. It gives me something to keep me busy. I don't like to sit and do nothing," she says.

Alice was born in Cape Girardeau and lived here until she was 16, when her family moved to Maine; they later moved to Ohio. Alice went to college in Boston and became a teacher, working with first- and second-grade students in Sandusky, Ohio. Alice was married to her husband for 50 years before he passed away.

Alice has a son who lives in Florida, plus a grandchild and two great-grandchildren. After retirement, she enjoyed traveling, including to South America, Central America and Africa.

"I have no secrets, except that I don't smoke or drink. I never even tried to smoke," says Alice. "I'm not sure if it made a difference (to my long life), but maybe it did."

Gladys Barks inside her Jackson home Nov. 20, 2013. Barks will turn 100 years old on Jan. 15. (Laura Simon)

Gladys Barks, age 99

Born Jan. 15, 1914, in Sedgewickville, Mo.

When Gladys Barks was young, only unmarried women could work as teachers. She put in two years as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse before marrying her husband and having two children, Larry Barks and Anna (Hahs) Barks. After that, she worked as a cook for the schools in Sedgewickville, Mo., and then the deli at IGA until she retired.

"I enjoyed being married, and when I taught school, I really enjoyed that," she says. Sadly, her husband passed away in 1954; the couple had been married almost 20 years. The family lived on a farm, so in addition to her family and job, Gladys kept busy raising chickens, cattle, hogs, crops and gardens. She played piano at Sedgewickville Lutheran Church for about 33 years. She later joined Emmanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson, where she played piano for many more years and is still a member. She's also played at many weddings.

Gladys still enjoys playing piano at her Jackson home, and says her favorite tunes are church hymns. She has four grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and some great-great-grandchildren. She will turn 100 in a few weeks.

"I'm happy I'm as well as I am for as old as I am, and that I can still take care of myself," she says.

Nettie Welty, age 100

Born June 23, 1913, in Scopus, Mo.

Nettie Welty's secret to a long and happy life must be her positive attitude. She's known for her cheerful expressions, like "Fly in and get it done" and "It's darkest just before the dawn." And, she's never had any concern about her advancing years.

Nettie Welty, age 100, of Cape Girardeau.

"Ah, I don't even think about my age," she says. "Well, I maybe feel like I am 50 or 55."

Nettie was born in Scopus, Mo., raised in Millersville and settled in Cape Girardeau in 1930. She was married to Olin Welty, and they had three children: Sharon Stanley, Dr. Linda Fulton and R.B. Welty. The birth of her first and only granddaughter, Leah Fulton Harte of Los Angeles, is one of her proudest moments in life.

Nettie's early adult life was spent raising her three children, and completing all the cooking, cleaning, laundry and other activities that come with parenthood. When she was 55 she took her first-ever airplane ride to Anchorage, Alaska, and has since traveled to Key West, Florida; Mexico City; Niagara Falls and many other states, always with her two daughters and her granddaughter. Most recently, she traveled to Hawaii twice: in 2009, at age 96, and in 2011, at age 98. Her love of travel has even earned her the nickname "Go" from her children.

Nettie's advice to others on reaching 100 or more years? Stay as healthy as you can by eating healthy and delicious food, spend time with family and friends, lean on others when you need them, and enjoy those days "that make you want to live forever."