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Woman sees 100th birthday as ‘just another day’

To one woman, the day she cruises past 100 “is just another day.”

Henrietta Deimel of the Wendelin/Ingraham community will celebrate 100 years Aug. 17, and her family intends to make the day very special.

The family is hosting an open house from 1:30-3 p.m. Aug. 14 at Holy Cross Parish Center in Wendelin for family and friends.

She probably knows a fair number of people in the area since she has lived on the same farm since 1938.

Mrs. Deimel was born Aug. 17, 1911 to Peter and Ida Zuber Ochs in St. Marie Township. She was one of 10 children, “right in the middle,” she said.

Henrietta finished the eighth grade, she said, but with so many brothers and sisters and work on the farm, no time was left for more education.

She remembers “doing a little bit of everything” growing up on the farm.

In 1929, at 18 she went to Chicago to work as a maid, she said. “That’s what girls did then if they didn’t have an education.”

While she “had a lot of friends,” in Chicago, she “wanted to move home to marry” Henry Deimel from the local area.
They built a house — the one she lives in now — and began their own family.

She continued to live and work on the farm, raising the couple’s six children even after her husband was killed in a car accident in 1953.

Throughout the years, Mrs. Deimel said she has relied on her faith. “It keeps me going,” she said.
And her parish of Holy Cross, she describes as “a great parish.”

She has one sister Eunice Schackmann of Newton and a brother Lorraine Ochs of St. Marie.

Two children, Helen (John) Crouse of Olney, and Herman (Joyce) Deimel of Lebannon, Tenn., are deceased.
Her remaining children are: Hermena (Sam) Medernach of Dieterich, Harold (Jeannie) Deimel of Newton, Howard Deimel of Xenia and Herb (Martha) Deimel of Ingraham.

She has eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great great-grandchild.

Although she doesn’t keep animals on the farm now, she continues her love of quilting. She pieces quilts by hand and enjoys quilting and spending time with family.

A card shower is also planned for her. Cards may be addressed to her at 3330 E 50th Ave, Ingraham, IL 62434.
(If you know of someone celebrating a milestone birthday or anniversary, please send a photo and information to The Messenger at cathnews@bellevillemessenger.org or call 233-8670.