'The things you remember': Centenarians share what it's like to be 100
Walters Thornton
When Armistice Day finally came   Walter  said  the teachers at her four-room schoolhouse gave the children flags and "we paraded all through the town singing and praising God."
 Walter  is part of a growing demographic in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control  the number of Americans aged 100 and over increased nearly 44 percent from 2000 to 2014  with females accounting for 80 to 84 percent of the total. A United Nations projection estimates that the number of people hitting the century mark worldwide is expected to reach 3.2 million by 2050.
Today  three local centenarians —  Walter   Violet Kogut and George DeJong — share their stories.
"I'm just a day older " said  Walter   about her impending birthday. Born in November 1910  she attributes her longevity to her faith and good genes — her father died just shy of his 95th birthday and all of her siblings made it into their 80s  she said.
Heidi Parent Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete  Walter lived on her own in  Thornton  until a few years ago. Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete  Walter lived on her own in  Thornton  until a few years ago. (Heidi Parent) (Heidi Parent)
Though she has been witness to many fascinating world events  including Charles Lindbergh's Atlantic crossing and Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon   Walters  said what  she  remembers most fondly are the personal experiences — marriage  children  running a family business.
Today   she  has four children  nine grandchildren  17 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren. " She  also helped raise  her  sister's son whose father was killed during World War II " Parent said.
 Walter  said  she  doesn't really have any dietary "secrets." In fact   she  is still quite fond of baked goods and Parent said there's a running family joke about how much "Grandma likes  her  margarine and butter."
Baking   Walter  said  was a lifelong passion. Every Christmas   she 'd host cookie bake-a-thons for  her  children and grandchildren in  her  Thornton home. In the tradition of  her  mother and grandmother  the sessions would result in thousands of baked treats that would be divvied up among family members.
Often those gatherings were filled with storytelling as  Walter  regaled the bakers with stories about having the first telephone on the block and about taking three streetcars to get to Fenger High School. On  her  wedding day  Sept. 12  1931  temperatures soared above 100  sending female guests home to change out of their velvet dresses   she  said.
 She  was 67 when  she  learned how to drive  a pursuit  she  kept secret from  her  husband Bill because  she  wanted to surprise him.
"One day while driving with the instructor I passed him on the road. He was driving a company truck "  she  recalled. "I was so glad he didn't notice me because he would have wondered what I was doing driving around with another man."
Later   she  said  when Bill fell ill and needed to go back and forth to doctors offices   she  was grateful for that license.
Although  she  has  her  health and  her  wits   she  admits that living longer than your peers can be a lonely accomplishment.
"Once Bill died  I was so lonesome I had to find things to do to stay busy "  she  said.
 She  served on several committees at St. Paul Church  and continued to teach Sunday school.  She  also volunteered at Rest Haven and Holland Home senior centers  where some of the residents were younger than  her    she  said.
When Armistice Day finally came   Walter  said  the teachers at her four-room schoolhouse gave the children flags and "we paraded all through the town singing and praising God."
 Walter  is part of a growing demographic in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control  the number of Americans aged 100 and over increased nearly 44 percent from 2000 to 2014  with females accounting for 80 to 84 percent of the total. A United Nations projection estimates that the number of people hitting the century mark worldwide is expected to reach 3.2 million by 2050.
Today  three local centenarians —  Walter   Violet Kogut and George DeJong — share their stories.
"I'm just a day older " said  Walter   about her impending birthday. Born in November 1910  she attributes her longevity to her faith and good genes — her father died just shy of his 95th birthday and all of her siblings made it into their 80s  she said.
Heidi Parent Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete  Walter lived on her own in  Thornton  until a few years ago. Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete  Walter lived on her own in  Thornton  until a few years ago. (Heidi Parent) (Heidi Parent)
Though she has been witness to many fascinating world events  including Charles Lindbergh's Atlantic crossing and Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon   Walters  said what  she  remembers most fondly are the personal experiences — marriage  children  running a family business.
Today   she  has four children  nine grandchildren  17 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren. " She  also helped raise  her  sister's son whose father was killed during World War II " Parent said.
 Walter  said  she  doesn't really have any dietary "secrets." In fact   she  is still quite fond of baked goods and Parent said there's a running family joke about how much "Grandma likes  her  margarine and butter."
Baking   Walter  said  was a lifelong passion. Every Christmas   she 'd host cookie bake-a-thons for  her  children and grandchildren in  her  Thornton home. In the tradition of  her  mother and grandmother  the sessions would result in thousands of baked treats that would be divvied up among family members.
Often those gatherings were filled with storytelling as  Walter  regaled the bakers with stories about having the first telephone on the block and about taking three streetcars to get to Fenger High School. On  her  wedding day  Sept. 12  1931  temperatures soared above 100  sending female guests home to change out of their velvet dresses   she  said.
 She  was 67 when  she  learned how to drive  a pursuit  she  kept secret from  her  husband Bill because  she  wanted to surprise him.
"One day while driving with the instructor I passed him on the road. He was driving a company truck "  she  recalled. "I was so glad he didn't notice me because he would have wondered what I was doing driving around with another man."
Later   she  said  when Bill fell ill and needed to go back and forth to doctors offices   she  was grateful for that license.
Although  she  has  her  health and  her  wits   she  admits that living longer than your peers can be a lonely accomplishment.
"Once Bill died  I was so lonesome I had to find things to do to stay busy "  she  said.
 She  served on several committees at St. Paul Church  and continued to teach Sunday school.  She  also volunteered at Rest Haven and Holland Home senior centers  where some of the residents were younger than  her    she  said.