By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
CONNEAUT — Anne Field, who celebrated her 100th birthday Friday, gives having a good attitude a lot of the credit for her longevity.
“Do you know that movie, ‘It’s A Wonderful Life?’” she asked. “That’s how I feel.”
Field came to Conneaut from her native Poland when she was 5 years old. She has spent the past year at the Ardis Rhinehart Kremer Home on Main Street.
The milestone birthday generated several bouquets of flowers and nonstop telephone calls of congratulations from family and friends.
“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” said Mardie Treen, Kremer Home manager.
A party is planned for today.
Field took a few minutes from her big day to talk about her many years.
She worked 28 years in various capacities, at the former Citizens Bank in town.
“I was a teller, bookkeeper, stenographer. I did a lot,” she said.
Her late husband, William, worked at True Temper. The couple had no children, but there’s plenty of family, including sisters Sophia Seager of Conneaut, Betty Gruey of Erie, Pa., and Fran Gassner of Texas.
She also can count on her nephew Tom Perkoski of Conneaut and his wife, Rosemary.
“Plus, she has lots and lots of friends here,” Treen said.
Field’s father worked as a servant to Czar Nicholas in Russia, Treen said. During the Bolshevik Revolution, Nicholas granted them their freedom, to spare them from execution, she said.
Field tried twice to visit her homeland, but each attempt fell through for different reasons, she said. Thanks to lessons from her mother, Field is fluent in Polish. She is also a member of a Polish women’s club.
A devout Catholic, Field attends St. Mary-St. Frances Cabrini Church in Conneaut.
In her younger days, Field enjoyed gardening and ballroom dancing with her husband. The couple would follow the Big Bands to different venues, she said.
“I really liked Guy Lombardo,” Field said.
She also fancies hats and has more than 400 in her collection.
“It started with Easter hats,” Field said. “Women don’t wear hats anymore.”
She was especially pleased when a young relative recently borrowed some of her vintage clothing for a special event.
Field shrugs off all the hoopla surrounding her big milestone.
“I didn’t have to struggle to make it,” she said. “It just came.”
