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November 18, 2007

100-year-old woman appreciates the little things

By SAM HOLLINGSWORTH

PLATTSBURGH -- The simple things have allowed Catherine Katron to enjoy a century of life.

Family get-togethers, picnics, baking -- these are the secrets to a long life of happiness.

Well, at least for Catherine, who is celebrating her 100th birthday today.

"What's so big about it?" she joked.

Taking a route to adulthood that is less common today, Catherine, who was born and raised in Syracuse, dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to work in a factory for 15 cents an hour.

"Now (workers) make $15 an hour," she said with a smile.

Much of her factory work consisted of tailoring and sewing clothes. In the late 1920s the factory shifted its focus to gun-making and Catherine cleaned and inspected machine guns.

Catherine soon left Syracuse for a little town called Red Creek near Lake Ontario before taking a train to the South -- a trip that would change her life.

She lived in Georgia for a time, and then headed to New Orleans to work as an Army nurse's aide at the hospital.

While there, she met her future husband, Joseph. He was also a nurse's aide and they both cared for recovering World War II soldiers.

"We both loved our work," Catherine said. "A lot of people used to try to get away from work and we used to do our best for those that needed it."

After serving at the Army hospital for about two years, the couple headed back to Syracuse, where they married and began their family.

Joseph, a Michigan man who spent 40 years of his life with Catherine, passed away in 1986.

Catherine said her husband was a great man, and even though she has trouble remembering some things, she remembers him and the fun things they did with their three daughters.

They used to enjoy going out for ice cream, grilling hamburgers and most of all, spending time together.

"Daddy used to like to take us to a bunch of different places," Catherine said.

Their daughters, Rosemary, Barbara and Joanne, have all followed in their parents' footsteps, happily marrying and raising their own children in New York.

Rosemary lives in Plattsburgh, while her two sisters and their families reside in western New York.

Catherine just recently moved to Plattsburgh and lives at the Samuel F. Vilas Home. Although new to the area, she says it's a nice, quiet place with plenty of parks and quaint places to relax.

With the holiday season approaching, Catherine said she is excited to see her family and enjoy the time they have together.

It may be the 100th time she has celebrated a birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, but the holidays never get old.

"I like all of them," she said.

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