Reah Tatro, who celebrates her 100th birthday on Oct. 4, remains independent in her Independence Township home.
‘Family comes first they make me happy and take good care of me,? she smiled.
“She still cooks her own meals, makes the bed and does her own laundry,?
said her son Wallace, who remember mom’s homemade dinners. ‘She always made big chicken dinners, huge Thanksgiving dinners with 25 pound turkeys. Everyday was a fun day, and she always took good care of me.?
Reah remembers going to Clarkston as a student in ninth grade.
‘There seemed to be lot of students even back then,? she said.
Her dad was a barber and he always said he could not get his hands dirty.
During the Great Depression, she was one of the lucky ones with a job.
‘There was just no work then,? she said. ‘I worked as a nanny for a woman with a son and I made three dollars a day. Everyday I came home and gave the money to my mother to buy groceries for my family.?
Although it may have seemed like a rough time, Reah said she never knew anything but helping with chores like churning butter.
‘We just did what we had to do to survive,? she remembers. ‘There were field and fields of melons, cucumbers and tomatoes. There was no welfare back then. We grew our own food and the boys liked to hunt.?
Clothes were washed by hand on the washboard and hung outside. In the winter, they were frozen, ‘but oh they smelled so fresh,? she added
Reah also creates ceramic artwork, a hobby she has practiced for 30 years. Every Wednesday she meets up with a group of artists.
‘I keep busy and I have something to do everyday,? she smiled. ‘I also keep my mind busy. I read a lot and I do a lot of crosswords. If you don’t do anything, you get stagnant.?
She misses her sister Lillian, who from the moment Reah was born promised their mother she would care for her.
Over the years, she has seen so many changes.
Life was much different all those years ago when she was just a young girl.
After school snacks came from the garden.
‘I would go and pick a tomato, wipe the dirt off and eat it,? she smiles. ‘There were just fields and fields of melons. I was just a little girl, and I used that big long stick to churn butter. I thought it was wonderful.?
Kids back then worked hard, but they did not know any other way of life.
She witnessed the end of World War I as a very young girl.
“All the church bells in town were ringing. Everyone came outside and were crying because they were so happy the war was over,? she said.
Big celebrations are planned by both family and her church for Reah’s birthday. A catered luncheon is being held by the congregation to celebrate their first church member turning 100. Granddaughter Lisa Chichiarelli thought her grandmother’s story would be a good one to read.
Reah has a big family including four children, 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.