Forever Young

PHOTOS: James Combs+Cal Gaines

There’s little question living to be 100 or older requires staying active and eating healthy.

But Healthy Living recently spoke with six Lake County centenarians and found they had a few extra tricks up their sleeve.

It appears optimism, laughter, friendship and positive thinking all play a big role, as well.

This new breed of seniors is living proof that a century of living doesn’t mean being sick and bedridden. These six examples serve as role models for healthy aging as they continue living active lives physically and mentally — and have plenty of fun doing it.

Read their amazing stories and understand why life doesn’t end at 100.

Anita Doebler

We may all scream for ice cream, but 106-year-old Anita Doebler seems to live for it.

Most days, she can be found somewhere inside Brookdale at Tavares enjoying a scoop of her favorite flavor — chocolate.

“Ice cream is the love of my life,” she says. “Eating ice cream gives me something to look forward to every day.”

At 106, there’s certainly nothing wrong with being smitten with ice cream. Just call it a sweet addiction.

Not surprisingly, ice cream dominates the conversation as she recalls her favorite life memories. Her love affair with the popular frozen treat began as a girl working at her parents’ ice cream parlor in Tonawanda, New York.

“I helped them out in the parlor and always enjoyed eating the ice cream,” she says. “Back in those days ice cream came in 5-gallon containers. Frozen ice was placed around each container, so we’d have to beat it with a hammer.”

It would be a stretch to say ice cream has contributed to her long life. And Anita is the first to admit she’s not always a healthy eater.

“The other day I cleared everything on my plate,” she says proudly, “except broccoli.”

However, laughter may be Anita’s key to longevity. It’s rare you’ll see her without a smile, and she particularly enjoys laughing at herself.

“Several weeks ago a minister was preaching at our community on Sunday,” she says. “I was in the front row and slept throughout the entire sermon. I never heard a word he said and finally woke up when he quit talking. Maybe I was just praying with my eyes closed. I get a chuckle from some of the crazy things I do.”

She is also actively engaged in mind-stimulating activities. After moving to Brookdale at Tavares more than two years ago, Anita introduced the community to the card game Rummikub and remains the undisputed champion. She often emerges victorious in bingo and dominoes, as well.

“I used to do crossword puzzles all the time but now they’re a nuisance,” she says, laughing. “I don’t do them anymore.”

Another thing Anita enjoys is going outside with her walker and tending to the rose bush planted for her when she reached 105.

“I told them not to plant me another rose bush until I’m 110,” she says.

Without question, staff members and residents at Brookdale at Tavares are drawn to her happy-go-lucky attitude.

“She’s always happy and just goes with the flow,” says Executive Director Lynn Haynes. “She gets along with anybody and everybody.”

Anita was born July 25, 1908. During her young adult years, she served as a housewife, raising three boys and a girl. She was also a faithful churchgoer and always remained independent. As a matter of fact, she drove an automobile until reaching 100, then made the conscious decision to stop.

“I figured there were already enough crazy drivers on the road,” she jokes. “Why should I add to that number?”

Olaf Larson

For anyone who asks him how he lived to be 104, Olaf Larson has a stock answer.

“Good genes. Good doctors. Good family. Good friends. Good luck.”

But there’s one other answer, and it’s one he really emphasizes.

“Always do things that you’re passionate about in life,” says Olaf, a resident at Waterman Village who lives by himself. “Engaging in activities near and dear to your heart will enrich your life and help you feel fulfilled.”

For Olaf, born Feb. 26, 1910, one activity he always loved is writing. At age 98, he authored a book that highlights his life as a boy on a Wisconsin farm. The 176-page book, titled “When Horses Pulled the Plow,” took him three months to write and was published by University of Wisconsin Press-Publisher.

“I wrote the book in longhand and had my granddaughter type it on a computer so I would have a hard copy,” he says. “The reason I wrote the book is because my grandchildren always asked me what it was like to live on a farm. I figured I could do my part in preserving a little bit of American history.”

Once the book was published, Olaf enthusiastically promoted it. He made public appearances at a Rotary Club in Orlando and also spoke to members of Waterman Village’s book club.

“That was lots of fun because I was able to share a little bit of my story about life on the farm,” he says. “When I was 12 my dad told me it was time to go to work. I helped cultivate corn, helped with livestock and helped move bales of hay. I also rode a pony every day to a one-room, one-teacher school.”

Olaf has authored five books, four of which were written after he retired as a rural sociology professor at Cornell University in 1975.

“I was technically retired but kept working,” he says. “My other books were researched based and dealt with sociology topics. Keeping mentally active all these years has certainly played a role in helping me to live this long.”

Today, Olaf keeps his mind sharp by managing his medications, paying the bills and watching the evening news to stay abreast of what’s happening around the world. He is also a faithful “Jeopardy” fan.

“I typically can answer one out of every five questions on “Jeopardy,” he says. “It really surprises me how contestants don’t know much about American history. Of course, I don’t do really well when the questions center around today’s popular music.”

Olaf rises each morning at 7:30, dresses himself and eats cereal. Then, he performs a variety of chair exercises to stretch and strengthen his arms and legs. That helps keep him limber enough to move around on a walker.

Although Olaf lost his wife, Clair, three years ago, he is rarely lonely. He frequently has visitors such as Betty Cox, a resident of Zellwood who comes to his home four times a week. They met when Betty worked for a home health agency and became dear friends.

“His upbeat attitude inspires me, and his mind is probably sharper than people half his age.”

Betty is helping plan for Olaf’s 105th birthday party, which will be attended by family and friends, as well as his doctors and accountants.

Elizabeth Cromer

In an era when women were considered primarily homemakers, Elizabeth Cromer decided early in life she would tackle much bigger challenges.

For her, mops and brooms gave way to cleats and shoulder pads. She played football against the big boys as a ninth-grader at Union Area High School in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

“I was the only girl on the entire team and one of the top players,” she recalls. “The boys treated me nice, but I’m not sure if they liked me very much, because I was very difficult to tackle. I would get out there on that field and run like crazy.”

Elizabeth, who turned 100 in September, has not slowed down much. A resident of The Cove at Tavares Village, Elizabeth faithfully takes morning and afternoon walks outside with the assistance of a walker.

Excuses to avoid exercises simply don’t fly with this fearless centenarian, who has been an avid walker her entire life.

“If it’s raining, I just take my walk inside the facility or I’ll patiently wait for the rain to stop and walk outside,” she says. “I’ve always been active and always will be. That’s what keeps a person alive. If you remain idle as you grow older, you might as well be dead.”

Her active lifestyle seems to have worked well for Elizabeth, who wears no glasses, contacts or hearing aids.

“I wake up each morning feeling great,” she says. “My heart is good, my lungs are good and my eyesight is good. I really have nothing to complain about. If you have the good Lord on your side, then you are already on top.”

Elizabeth was born Sept. 7, 1914. She owned a bridal shop in Pennsylvania and often coordinated events for her church.

`“I got church members together for games and activities,” says Elizabeth, who has one daughter and two grandchildren. “I was very active in the church and always doing something. I hated being idle.”

That still holds true today.

“You remain active and you remain alive,” she says. “It’s that simple. I despise being inactive because it makes me feel worthless. I tell other people around my age that if they say they can do something, then they will achieve it.”

Helen Campanio

When Helen Campanio lost her husband in 1996, she made a bold promise.

“I told my family members, ‘I’m going to live to be 100,’” says Helen, a resident of The Cove at Tavares Village.

Her prediction has come true. Helen will celebrate her 100th birthday Jan. 24. As the big day nears, the accomplishment somehow seems less significant to her.

“Why should celebrating my 100th birthday feel any different from any other birthday?” she wonders. “It’s nothing more than a date.”

Despite her modesty, her achievement is indeed significant, considering she suffers from neuropathy in her legs resulting from five back operations, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Some would have given in to such pain and discomfort long ago.

Not Helen.

“One reason I’m still alive is because I have family members who provide such a wonderful support system for me,” she says. “I love when they come here to visit me.”

Two frequent visitors are her son, Ralph Campanio, and his wife, Peggy. As owners of six shih tzus, they often bring one of their furry friends when they visit. It’s probably no coincidence Helen’s favorite happens to be the oldest dog, Chelsea Ann, who is 13.

“She is so loveable and enjoys cuddling with me,” Helen says. “However, she is not allowed to kiss me. That tongue isn’t coming anywhere near my face! I enjoy the dogs because they are so happy to see me. They climb right up on my lap and love being petted and talked to. They even talk back to me in their own little way.”

When she has no visitors, Helen finds plenty of ways to keep entertained. She enjoys walking to the dining room, playing bingo with friends and completing 500-piece jigsaw puzzles.

“I also do crossword puzzles every day and make it a point to finish them,” she says. “It’s a great way to keep your mind active and stimulated.”

A native of Meadville, Pennsylvania, Helen remembers growing up on property where apple trees, pear trees and plum trees were in abundance. Her parents, who both lived into their late 80s, emphasized the importance of healthy eating. As a wife and mother of two children, Helen made it a priority to cook “healthy, well-balanced” meals that typically consisted of salads, vegetables and fish.

“She has always been a wonderful mother,” Ralph says. “I think one reason she has lived to be 100 is because she is so strong and independent.”

Ralph will be one of 35 people attending Helen’s birthday party, which will be held inside The Cove at Tavares Village’s community center. Family and friends from far away as Pennsylvania and Virginia are also coming to her milestone birthday celebration.

“I really don’t think reaching 100 is that big of a deal,” she says. “I’m still here and I’m very appreciative of that, but being 100 does not make me more special than anyone else.

Alice Livingston

If the medical community is looking for scientific proof that funny people live longer, 102-year-old Alice Livingston would be an interesting case study.

A resident of The Cove at Waterman Village, Alice is known among family and friends for her great sense of humor and readiness to offer a joke or a one-liner whenever appropriate, especially when talking about her birthday celebration in this month.

“Don’t buy me any presents,” she pleads to her niece, Pat Oberholtzer. “Well, actually you can buy me some pantyhose. Just make sure whichever ones you buy me make me look good.”

Then there’s the fond memory of growing up on her family’s farm in Lenox, Georgia.

“I loved being outside with my baby sister,” she says, “but every time I took her in the yard this crazy rooster would start chasing her. The rooster was so annoying. I remember being so happy when my mom finally killed that damn thing.”

And Alice will never forget being married to Dee, only to fall madly in love with her second husband, Bill.

“Bill stole my heart and took me from Dee,” she jokes. “That wasn’t very nice!”

While making others laugh comes naturally for Alice, she cannot say with certainty it has contributed to her longevity.

“Why am I still around? I really have no idea,” she says. “I’d like to know. Can somebody please tell me?”

Alice and Bill lived in Tampa for many years. They were avid freshwater and deep-sea fishermen who often traveled to Sanibel Island and fished for snook. Attending church together, she says, was less enjoyable.

“Bill used to snore in church,” Alice recalls. “I’d nudge him and tell him I was going to sit somewhere else if he didn’t wake up. I wasn’t about to sit through the entire service by someone who snored!”

Alice did strive to lead a healthy lifestyle. She quit smoking 40 years ago and drank cocktails only occasionally. She has also walked frequently throughout her life and particularly enjoyed walking along the shores of Daytona Beach during summertime.

“Is that beach still there?” she asks.

Today, Alice, who moved to Lake County in 2006, enjoys watching movies in the recreation room and interacting with fellow residents. She loves receiving visits from Pat, as well as her great-niece, Kelli Hill.

Viola Toland

Fido isn’t your typical pet, but he brings much joy into the life of 101-year-old Viola Toland.

She laughs and smiles as her black-and-white furry friend, which resembles a shih tzu, rolls across the floor, giggling at anything and everything.

Fido is an electronic toy dog, but her robo-pup provides plenty of entertainment.

“Even I have to laugh at that darn thing,” says Viola, who moved into Lexington Park’s assisted-living facility four years ago.

Without question, laughing and looking at life through an optimistic lens are instrumental reasons Viola’s ticker continues ticking.

“I’ve never really been sick,” she says, “and the only time I’ve been in the hospital is when I had children. I feel being optimistic and laughing has helped me live a long life.”

Good genes play a role, too. Her great aunt lived to be 105, while her mother passed away at age 95.

Even as birthdays have accumulated, Viola has always remained independent. She worked as a part-time receptionist at a funeral home in Michigan before retiring at age 85. She continued driving an automobile until she was 95. And she lived in a home by herself before moving into Lexington Park at age 97.

While many near her age are completely bedridden, Viola continues living an active life. Whenever the retirement community holds karaoke, she shares her beautiful voice and wows fellow residents with her renditions of “America the Beautiful” and “Blue Skies.” She is also a regular participant in the Bridgeport at Lake Miona Christmas Parade, where she rides in a golf cart, dons a red Santa hat and waves to spectators.

Perhaps her favorite activity is brunch each Sunday at IHOP with her daughter, Janet Schlegel, and son, Gregg Toland, both residents of The Villages.

“I always look forward to pancakes, eggs and bacon,” she says. “They taste so good!”

Viola was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan, on Oct. 27, 1913. She spent 31 years as a bookkeeper for a home improvement company owned by her husband, Robert. Even after his death in 1979, Viola still viewed life as an adventure to be embraced. She joined a church travel group and visited countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Scandinavia and Germany. She also took a memorable trip aboard the famous Mississippi Queen steamboat. Numerous photo albums stacked on her living room floor help evoke fond memories of her travels.

“I love looking through the albums and remembering all the great times I had,” she says. “I did not have a favorite country because they each were special in their own way.”

“I remember taking Mom to the mall when she was in her 70s and not being able to keep up with her,” Gregg says. “She was always a fast walker.”

“I never sweat the small stuff,” she says. “I just keep on living, loving and laughing.”

For her, those are the best medications to combat old age.