One hundred and five years was the milestone celebrated at Sweetbriar Villa Assisted Living Center in Springfield Tuesday, as resident Anna Willhite became the oldest person living there.
“I used to think I’d never get this far,” said Anna.
Born in 1918, Anna is celebrating 105 years that started with very humble beginnings.
“My mom had taught me how to sew, she made all of our dresses and pants and shirts for the boys,” she said. “It was hard times back when I was young.”
Hard times of living through the Great Depression, when she says work was scarce and her father made a living the only way he could.
“My dad was a bootlegger,” she said. “I guess he was a good one because we never went without clothes or food or things like that.”
Selling whiskey and beer put food on the table, but life was much different than it is today.
Her son, Nick Willhite, says, “She comes from a period of time when there was no refrigerator, no hot water, no telephone.”
Decades later, life has completely transformed. Out of the many inventions in her lifetime, Anna says her favorite was the television.
Despite growing up without some of the things we have today, she says life wasn’t lacking, it was just simple.
“We’d get stick horses, as we called them,” she said. “Two sticks and walk for miles pretending we was a horse.”
Walking miles is something Anna continues to do, often with her son Nick, who visits her almost every other day. Nick is one of Anna's three children and the generations have grown to seven grandkids, sixteen great-grandkids and fourteen great-great grandkids. "I can’t remember all of their names,” she said.
Out of all her life experiences, becoming a mother was her favorite. “I could hardly believe that I had another one to take care of, I love my kids and I still do.”
Love and humility are two qualities she passed on to her children. “I don’t remember a new pair of shoes for my mom, or a coat or a dress,” Nick said with tears in his eyes. “That’s the kind of person she was. Us kids always seemed to come first.”
Anna and her husband moved to Springfield in 1945, where they worked for Cascade Handle Company. It turned into a family tradition, as three generations followed suit.
There were many lessons she passed down through the generations. “If mom owed you a penny, she’d walk ten miles to pay you," he said. “She never had a debt. Mom has never had a credit card.”
Anna Willhite, never had a driver’s license, never owned a credit card and just learned what an iPhone is.
“Mom has been a wonderful example,” he said. “We love her, and it’s been a real treat to have her as long as we have. None of us are going to live forever, and she has a good perspective.”
“It’s to take care of yourself and if you have a family, take good care of all of them,” said Anna, “I know my time is short and I’m trying to do the best I can while I’m here.”