Anna Ely DeWald, a resident of the Williamsport Manor Apartments, celebrated her 104th birthday with her friends and family.
A "meant-to-be" surprise party was hosted by the senior living center for DeWald, which was held at 12:30 p.m. March 25.
"She's sharp as a tack," said DeWald's daughter, Mary Smith. "You can never surprise her. We couldn't even fool her to have a surprise party."
DeWald was born March 25, 1906, in Lycoming County. She married Glen DeWald on Aug. 17, 1929, who passed away in August 1972.
She and her husband moved to Rochester, N.Y., where they resided for about 43 years and raised their family.
She attended secretarial school and was an attorney's secretary most of her working days. She retired as a church secretary in the mid-1980s.
DeWald moved back to Lycoming County in July during the 1970s.
She has four children, 12 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
DeWald is a member of the National Audubon Society, the Lycoming County Historical Society, the YMCA, Messiah Senior Association and a member of the Pine Street Methodist Church.
DeWald's long-time friend Sandy Stutzman of Williamsport said that she and Williamsport resident Betty Weaver and her pals take walks together to the YMCA, and DeWald's "always five or six steps ahead of us."
"We would always be behind her and she'd always be a block ahead of us," Stutzman said.
In comparison to her 100th birthday, DeWald's favorite and only son-in-law Gilbert Smith said that she keeps getting smarter by the day.
"She's smarter now than she was then," Smith said. "She truly is one amazing lady."
With her fantastic hair, DeWald still looks just as good, too.
Today, DeWald enjoys crocheting, crossword puzzles and reading Westerns. She also enjoys writing letters to her family and to her daughter in Tennessee.
Some of the presents that the 104-year-old received were a $50 gift card to Giant, lotion and a bottle of wine.
According to DeWald, the secret to living so long is to eat three meals a day and stay active.
