DISTANT, Pa. (RVO) – Mable G. Ruth George celebrated her 100th birthday this past Sunday, surrounded by friends and family at the Oakland Church of God in Distant PA.

Mable was in good spirits as her family and friends showered her with love, memories and birthday cake!

Mable was born in Distant, PA on January 14, 1918 at her home. It was a little house across from were the distant Village Mart is now. The house is no longer there now. Her family’s barn was across the road where she had one cow to milk. They moved many times due to her father working in the mines.

She now resides at Skyview Farms in New Bethlehem, PA. She was married to Edwin George. She has one daughter Shirley Patrick. She has 12 siblings, 9 grandkids, 10 great grandkids and 16 great great grandkids.

Memories with her include Ruth reunions, holidays, birthdays. She always had spam and rice pudding for the great grand kids when we would visit with her. And her special treat for the great great grand kids is kit kats.

Special things about her are: Her secret to her longevity is 3 cups of coffee a day and as many Stauffers ginger snaps as you can eat and the Good Lord. She always says I pray for and love everybody-red, yellow, black and white and brown just like Jesus does. And she says laughter is the best medicine.

Her work history included working at the country club in distant doing dishes for $1 a day which was owned by B.T.Redstone and ran by Paul Hodson. She cleaned houses in town for Pete Costa, Clark Lars and Redd Thompson. She also did papering and cleaning for Marie Goodman in Rimbersburg, Pa.

Then she worked at the Rolo Factory in Hawthorn, PA where they put units together for in the dashes of vehicles for radios and speakers. From there she worked at the Brookville Glove factory where she inspected the seems of the gloves. Then she worked at Ruth’s Restaurant (owned by Ruth and Elmer Wotring) in New Bethlehem, PA. She ran the restaurant there. And the last place she worked was Big Rivers Factory which was a shirt factory in Kittanning, Pa on route 85.

100 years ago, back in 1918:

• Germany signs Armistice Ending World War I
• March 1918, Influenza Epidemic begins at Fort Riley, Kansas killing 20 million people worldwide
• Films: A Dog’s Life, Tarzan of the Apes, Hearts of the World, Shoulder Arms, Stella Maris
• The Fortune Cookie is created
• U.S. President: Woodrow Wilson
• Stars Born: Nelson Mandela, Pee Wee Reese, Bob Evans, Katherine Johnson, Sam Walton
• The U.S. Congress establishes Time Zones
• Sports: World Series Boston Red Sox, Stanley Cup: Toronto Arenas, American Football: Most teams shut down due to WWI, Kentucky Derby: Exterminator
• U.S. Air Mail Service Begins
• Tiger Rag by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band was the #1 song in 1918

When asked what her secret to a long life is, Mable kept it short and sweet.
“Three cups of coffee a day and as many Stauffer’s Ginger Snaps as you can get!”

View photos from the event here:
Facebook.com/pg/RedbankValley/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155803947470240
*Photos courtesy of TechReady Professionals & RedbankValley.org