DAKOTA
CONFERENCE NEWS
Dakota Blessed With Centenarians Heather Boyko
Bernice Ruchotzke
Jacquie Biloff
your eyesight and hearing.” She paused, “Some of them shouldn’t have been driving. But we had a great time.” Lillian lives in assisted living now and still does all her own cooking. She invites her neighbors to her apartment once a week for a meal. Her daughter, Beverly, comes to help. Lillian and her husband farmed in Fessenden, North Agnes Warbitsky Emma Hegney Lillian Hirschkorn Dakota for 40 years. “I liked the farm,” she says, “I never Emma, at 104, passed away preceded her in death, as well shied away from work. I Thelma Dean, Emma as two of her four children. never was a lazy person. I Nov. 29, 2014, but Thelma Hegney, Lillian Hirschkorn, If asked how she was doing, like my things put in order.” (101), Lillian (103), Agnes Agnes Warbitsky and Glen If they needed to do some (101) and Glen (103) remain she would wave her hand Wilder have blessed the shopping they would drive encyclopedias of information, and say, “Aw, no” and shake Dakotas for well over three her head. She did not want to Harvey—“just a two-story libraries of life’s wisdom, generations, if you use the town”—to purchase what characters in their own right, to discuss herself but took dictionary’s 30 years as the delight in visits and putting they could not find locally. and personalities that can definition for a generation. together brightly colored Thelma Dean is a member never be duplicated. These centenarians were puzzles. At 104, she walked of the Hot Springs (SD) Until a year ago, Emma born before World War I, Church. Agnes Warbitsky, quickly from room to room walked regularly and read before an aircraft flew above featured in the May 2014 with the aid of her walker. the newspaper faithfully. 5,000 feet, or even flew at Although her husband died OUTLOOK, is a member night. Although washing Although hard of hearing and shortly after their youngest of the Turtle Lake (ND) machines were discussed in not too talkative, she had an child was born, she worked Church. And Glen Wilder is the newspapers, few were excellent memory and lit up a member of the Jamestown hard to keep the family owned. The first coast-toat the mention of someone’s (ND) Church. together and never missed coast telephone call was still name from her past. “I The Bible advises us to church. a decade into the future. remember him,” she would honor the face of the elderly Lillian, still going strong at To imagine the change that say and a smile would cross because their gray hair is a has taken place within their her face. She had five siblings 103, is ambulatory, quickcrown of glory (Prov. 16:31; witted and talkative. “I lifetimes is staggering. (one a twin) all of whom decided I wouldn’t drive over Lev. 19:32). How exciting it the age of 90,” she begins, “so will be to meet them again in I parked my car and sat for 10 the prime of their lives! years.” She laughs. “It was fine Jacquie Biloff is communication because my friends all had Plan now to attend the Dakota Conference director for the Dakota to come visit me then. You Men’s Retreat at Aberdeen, South Dakota Conference. know when you get to be 90, March 13-15 featuring Dr. Richard Davidson you are on the edge of loosing
MEN’S RETREAT
of Andrews University. For more information contact Randy Rubbert at 701.847.3008 or maryrandy@wildblue.net.
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FEBRUARY 2015
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