Surrounded by family, centenarian celebrates

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- At 100 years old, Hilda Lange had many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren to wish her a happy birthday Friday afternoon.

Even though she is legally blind, Lange is still able to live independently. She can get around the hallways of Ridgeway on German by herself and can make her own bed without any help, said daughter Lorraine Cordes.

She became the first Ridgeway on German resident to hit the 100-year mark, according to Roxanne Albrecht, director of health services at the New Ulm assisted living center.

Hilda Lange was the second-oldest of eight children that grew up on a farm near Echo. Today, she is the oldest of six surviving children.

Those siblings, as well as their children and their children's children, held a party in Hilda's honor complete with balloons, jellybeans, plenty of cards and collages that capture her life throughout the years in color, black and white and sepia photograph tones.

Guests at the party signed their names to a book, perused the collages, socialized, ate lunch and sat down beside Hilda to congratulate her on celebrating her birthday. She and her sisters took some time to pose for family members' cameras.

Hilda married a farmer, Roy Lange, in November 1925. The couple spent their honeymoon visiting relatives in Stewart, Hector, New Ulm and Nicollet. They lived and worked on Lange's farm until Roy died in 1964.

Hilda moved to New Ulm shortly after his death. She's lived in other local assisted living facilities before and has lived at Ridgeway on German for about four years.

"She's really remarkable because she still lives on her own at the age of 100," Albrecht said.

Lange said there's no secret to living a whole century.

"You eat and sleep and do what's best," she said. "If there's work to do, you do it."

Lange said she doesn't feel any different at age 100 than she did before her birthday. The only setback, she said, is her vision, which prevents her from cooking her own meals even though she still lives mostly by herself.

"I feel honored that so many people want to help celebrate," she said. "But I'm not done yet. Suppose I live two more years, will they come help celebrate then?"