Different keys to a long life
TWO CELEBRATE 100TH BIRTHDAYS AT COLUMBIA ASSISTED LIVING
On Tuesday, Columbia Assisted Living celebrated the birthday of not one, but two centenarians.
Dan Lambright was born on March 10, 1917 — 11 days before fellow resident Catherine Bernhart. They were willing to share their secrets to a long life, but the two had completely contradictory views.
“You have to get up in the morning and have a good breakfast,” said Bernhart. “I never smoked, I never went for liquor and that helps.”
She grew up living on a farm with her 12 siblings. Only two are alive today, but the majority who have passed lived long lives.
“I worked very hard for my mom and dad on the farm and then, when I got married, I had five, maybe 10 years of easy life but after that it got harder and harder, because we had the children, we got a bigger farm.”
Bernhart had four children, but two passed away, including a parent to her granddaughter Diane Gove, who attended the celebration with other family members.
“I love that she’s still healthy and has her memory. I’ve lost both my parents now and she’s the one rock that’s always there,” said Gove.
“My grandma is just a wonderful lady, she’s very outgoing, she’s very smart. She’s got a memory like a steel trap, she remembers stuff that I don’t remember,” Gove laughed.
“She didn’t have it easy at all. With that many children, they made their kids start working outside the house at quite a young age, so she’s had a very, very, rough life and I’m glad she now gets to relax and enjoy herself.”
Lambright was a cowboy, a veteran and a police officer. His secret to a long life? Booze.
“A lot of booze,” he said. “It keeps you alive.”
Joining him to celebrate was Barb Gravel, who couldn’t help but laugh at his response.
She used to fix his computer and has known him for more than 20 years.
“We’ve just been good friends for a long time — a surprisingly long time. I’ve never had a friend that turned 100 before — it’s wonderful,” said Gravel. “One hundred is a big milestone and he is still walking around and still a cowboy at heart.”
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