Bertha Barton celebrated her 100th birthday August 12 with family members. She might be the oldest living person in Midvale.
Anna Kartashova / The Salt Lake Tribune
Bertha Barton has never used a computer. She has never owned a cell phone. And the last high-tech thingamajig she was excited about was the electric typewriter.
Barton, who rarely turns on the TV in her home, said she realizes times have changed, but she's happy reading the newspaper and books.
"It makes me feel old," she said. "But of course, I am old, old ."
Barton celebrated her 100th birthday Wednesday, making her possibly Midvale's eldest resident.
The city honored its 90-and-older residents with an August 1 gathering during Midvale's hundred-year anniversary festivities and its annual Harvest Days .
Earlier this summer, Midvale History Museum Director Boyd Twiggs sent 34 letters to churches in Midvale asking for information from folks who were 90 and older. He also called 15 other city churches.
Twiggs compiled about 40 names; about 20 of them attended the event held in their honor.
He said it was important to recognize the city's elders during Midvale's centennial fete because they are the people, from former city leaders to volunteers, who helped make the city what it is today.
"It's those kind of people [who] have been active in the community through the years," said Twiggs, who moved to Midvale with his family 41 years ago.
For Barton, she doesn't see what the big fuss is about her being 10 decades old.
"I don't feel that old," she said. "I still do what I did 50 years ago."
OK, maybe not everything.
Barton was born August 12, 1909, and raised in the farming town of Deseret in Millard County. After graduating from high school, she married teacher Vernon Love in 1928. They had three sons and a daughter. Love died in 1951.
In 1955, Barton married educator George Barton, of Midvale, and the couple moved into a new home. She's lived in the red-brick, three-bedroom home ever since.
Barton remembers a bustling downtown Midvale that hosted a Sears, banks and cafes. She worked at Zions Bank in the 1960s. She went to dances and played in a card club with more than a dozen other ladies a few times each month. She played the organ at her LDS Church and volunteered in other capacities.
Barton's second husband died 30 years ago.
Today, Barton doesn't want any responsibilities. She lives day to day, and sometimes doesn't understand how she's lasted so long.
"I miss having friends because they passed away, and I go on and on and on," she said.
Barton is pretty healthy, considering.
She still drives her silver 1979 sedan around the neighborhood. She cleans her two-story house by herself. She gets her hair done on Fridays at the same salon she's gone to for decades. Her son and Midvale resident, Dale Love, comes by to visit her most evenings. (Her other two sons live out of state.) And two neighbors, Joe and Sally Barfuss, pick her up for church each Sunday.
Barton said she's happiest about getting to live at her house without any assistance and not fading away at an assisted-living home.
"I can't see myself living in one room," she said.
Barton has outlived 11 siblings; her baby sister, Grayce Pace, who's about 80, is her only sibling left. All of her close friends and relatives, including her only daughter, have passed on. Even her doctor, who said to come back for a checkup, died, too. Her dad, John Henry Western, lived to be 97.
"It makes you feel lonely ... but you do feel thankful for your own life," she said. "You adjust to these changes and go on."
Overall, Barton said she's had a full life, including traveling to other states, Europe and Canada. There's nothing she has left on a to-do list.
Barton's sons and loved ones threw her a hundredth birthday party Wednesday at a local restaurant. She said she's grateful to still have her sons around.
"I've done everything I've wanted to do," Barton said. "It's been a good life." [rc]
jsanchez@sltrib.com
Copyright The Salt Lake Tribune
August 13, 2009
USA: "I've done everything I've wanted to do, it's been a good life."
.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah / Salt Lake Tribune / Community / August 13, 2009
100 years, but she doesn't 'feel that old'
By Jennifer W. Sanchez, Salt Lake Tribune
Bertha Barton celebrated her 100th birthday August 12 with family members. She might be the oldest living person in Midvale.
Anna Kartashova / The Salt Lake Tribune
Bertha Barton has never used a computer. She has never owned a cell phone. And the last high-tech thingamajig she was excited about was the electric typewriter.
Barton, who rarely turns on the TV in her home, said she realizes times have changed, but she's happy reading the newspaper and books.
"It makes me feel old," she said. "But of course, I am old, old ."
Barton celebrated her 100th birthday Wednesday, making her possibly Midvale's eldest resident.
The city honored its 90-and-older residents with an August 1 gathering during Midvale's hundred-year anniversary festivities and its annual Harvest Days .
Earlier this summer, Midvale History Museum Director Boyd Twiggs sent 34 letters to churches in Midvale asking for information from folks who were 90 and older. He also called 15 other city churches.
Twiggs compiled about 40 names; about 20 of them attended the event held in their honor.
He said it was important to recognize the city's elders during Midvale's centennial fete because they are the people, from former city leaders to volunteers, who helped make the city what it is today.
"It's those kind of people [who] have been active in the community through the years," said Twiggs, who moved to Midvale with his family 41 years ago.
For Barton, she doesn't see what the big fuss is about her being 10 decades old.
"I don't feel that old," she said. "I still do what I did 50 years ago."
OK, maybe not everything.
Barton was born August 12, 1909, and raised in the farming town of Deseret in Millard County. After graduating from high school, she married teacher Vernon Love in 1928. They had three sons and a daughter. Love died in 1951.
In 1955, Barton married educator George Barton, of Midvale, and the couple moved into a new home. She's lived in the red-brick, three-bedroom home ever since.
Barton remembers a bustling downtown Midvale that hosted a Sears, banks and cafes. She worked at Zions Bank in the 1960s. She went to dances and played in a card club with more than a dozen other ladies a few times each month. She played the organ at her LDS Church and volunteered in other capacities.
Barton's second husband died 30 years ago.
Today, Barton doesn't want any responsibilities. She lives day to day, and sometimes doesn't understand how she's lasted so long.
"I miss having friends because they passed away, and I go on and on and on," she said.
Barton is pretty healthy, considering.
She still drives her silver 1979 sedan around the neighborhood. She cleans her two-story house by herself. She gets her hair done on Fridays at the same salon she's gone to for decades. Her son and Midvale resident, Dale Love, comes by to visit her most evenings. (Her other two sons live out of state.) And two neighbors, Joe and Sally Barfuss, pick her up for church each Sunday.
Barton said she's happiest about getting to live at her house without any assistance and not fading away at an assisted-living home.
"I can't see myself living in one room," she said.
Barton has outlived 11 siblings; her baby sister, Grayce Pace, who's about 80, is her only sibling left. All of her close friends and relatives, including her only daughter, have passed on. Even her doctor, who said to come back for a checkup, died, too. Her dad, John Henry Western, lived to be 97.
"It makes you feel lonely ... but you do feel thankful for your own life," she said. "You adjust to these changes and go on."
Overall, Barton said she's had a full life, including traveling to other states, Europe and Canada. There's nothing she has left on a to-do list.
Barton's sons and loved ones threw her a hundredth birthday party Wednesday at a local restaurant. She said she's grateful to still have her sons around.
"I've done everything I've wanted to do," Barton said. "It's been a good life." [rc]
jsanchez@sltrib.com
Copyright The Salt Lake Tribune
Bertha Barton celebrated her 100th birthday August 12 with family members. She might be the oldest living person in Midvale.
Anna Kartashova / The Salt Lake Tribune
Bertha Barton has never used a computer. She has never owned a cell phone. And the last high-tech thingamajig she was excited about was the electric typewriter.
Barton, who rarely turns on the TV in her home, said she realizes times have changed, but she's happy reading the newspaper and books.
"It makes me feel old," she said. "But of course, I am old, old ."
Barton celebrated her 100th birthday Wednesday, making her possibly Midvale's eldest resident.
The city honored its 90-and-older residents with an August 1 gathering during Midvale's hundred-year anniversary festivities and its annual Harvest Days .
Earlier this summer, Midvale History Museum Director Boyd Twiggs sent 34 letters to churches in Midvale asking for information from folks who were 90 and older. He also called 15 other city churches.
Twiggs compiled about 40 names; about 20 of them attended the event held in their honor.
He said it was important to recognize the city's elders during Midvale's centennial fete because they are the people, from former city leaders to volunteers, who helped make the city what it is today.
"It's those kind of people [who] have been active in the community through the years," said Twiggs, who moved to Midvale with his family 41 years ago.
For Barton, she doesn't see what the big fuss is about her being 10 decades old.
"I don't feel that old," she said. "I still do what I did 50 years ago."
OK, maybe not everything.
Barton was born August 12, 1909, and raised in the farming town of Deseret in Millard County. After graduating from high school, she married teacher Vernon Love in 1928. They had three sons and a daughter. Love died in 1951.
In 1955, Barton married educator George Barton, of Midvale, and the couple moved into a new home. She's lived in the red-brick, three-bedroom home ever since.
Barton remembers a bustling downtown Midvale that hosted a Sears, banks and cafes. She worked at Zions Bank in the 1960s. She went to dances and played in a card club with more than a dozen other ladies a few times each month. She played the organ at her LDS Church and volunteered in other capacities.
Barton's second husband died 30 years ago.
Today, Barton doesn't want any responsibilities. She lives day to day, and sometimes doesn't understand how she's lasted so long.
"I miss having friends because they passed away, and I go on and on and on," she said.
Barton is pretty healthy, considering.
She still drives her silver 1979 sedan around the neighborhood. She cleans her two-story house by herself. She gets her hair done on Fridays at the same salon she's gone to for decades. Her son and Midvale resident, Dale Love, comes by to visit her most evenings. (Her other two sons live out of state.) And two neighbors, Joe and Sally Barfuss, pick her up for church each Sunday.
Barton said she's happiest about getting to live at her house without any assistance and not fading away at an assisted-living home.
"I can't see myself living in one room," she said.
Barton has outlived 11 siblings; her baby sister, Grayce Pace, who's about 80, is her only sibling left. All of her close friends and relatives, including her only daughter, have passed on. Even her doctor, who said to come back for a checkup, died, too. Her dad, John Henry Western, lived to be 97.
"It makes you feel lonely ... but you do feel thankful for your own life," she said. "You adjust to these changes and go on."
Overall, Barton said she's had a full life, including traveling to other states, Europe and Canada. There's nothing she has left on a to-do list.
Barton's sons and loved ones threw her a hundredth birthday party Wednesday at a local restaurant. She said she's grateful to still have her sons around.
"I've done everything I've wanted to do," Barton said. "It's been a good life." [rc]
jsanchez@sltrib.com
Copyright The Salt Lake Tribune
