The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Resident reminisces over the past 99 years
Traveling the world and writing a book are just some of the things she has experienced in her life.
Traveling the world and writing a book are just some of the things 99-yearold Wavelene Steffen has experienced in her life.
Steffen was born in Massillon, but later moved to Vermilion with her husband George and has now lived at Kingston Residence of Vermilion for the past six years.
“We lived across the street from Kingston before moving here. I had a bad accident and after that I told my daughter that we wanted to live at Kingston, since it’s across from our old cottage,” said Steffen, now a widow.
She has a daughter currently living in Texas and two grandchildren.
“I’ll be turning 100 soon and to me it feels no different than any other age,” Steffen said. “Most people my age need some sort of help, but I can do things on my own such as walking.”
Steffen recalls growing up with little to nothing, but said her parents always made it work.
“We didn’t have much, but my parents made the best out what we had,” she said. “All my siblings and myself included played an instrument, they made sure to keep us busy.”
“I played the piano for years, but my sister was so much better than me.”
Steffen had two brothers and two younger sisters.
“It was nice having a big family. I always had some one around growing up,” she said.
Before moving to Vermilion, Steffen taught kindergarten in Canton.
“I taught kindergarten for six years and I loved it. I would teach children manners, how to be obedient and we would play games sometimes,” she said.
Steffen says the most inspirational thing she has witnessed in her life is the day her daughter survived a brain aneurysm.
“The doctors told my daughter she wouldn’t make it because they were not trained to handle aneurysms. He told us to take her to Zale Lipshy University Hospital and that’s what we did,” she said. “After seven hours of surgery, they were able to remove the aneurysm, it was a life changing experience.”
During her life, Steffen also has traveled overseas to places like Switzerland, Germany, England, Austria and France.
“My husband had a seven-week vacation from work, so we used that time to travel,” she recalled. “We traveled to Europe three times and visited 12 countries.
“My favorite place is Austria,” she said. “On Friday and Saturday they would have dancing. I’m not much of a dancer, but it was still really fun.”
Steffen said she can speak German and a little French.
Steffen also wrote a book about her childhood all the way up until she was 60 years old.
“My mother told me to write down anything I remember from my childhood and that’s what I did,” she said.
Steffen did not title the book but says it has things about herself, her siblings and her parents. A friend of her daughters also made 13 copies of her book that was given to people in Steffen’s family.
Steffen is the only person in her family that has lived to be 99 years old.
“We have had some people live to be in there 80s, but no one close to this age,” she said.
And what is her secret to living so long?
“I never smoked or drank, I took care of myself,” she said. “Taking care of yourself is key to living a long, happy and healthy life.”