It is hard for Lufern Smith to believe it has been a century since she and her twin sister Luvern were born. Smith, who lives at the Annandale Care Center, celebrated her 100th birthday last Thursday, Oct. 4, with family and friends.
According to Smith’s daughter-in-law Joan, Lufern beat the odds three years ago when she first arrived at the Care Center.
"She came by ambulance and was in hospice," Joan said. "But she got such great care here that within a month she was off hospice and living like she is now."
Smith has one son Ron and a daughter Elaine Fillmore who lives in another state. She also has a granddaughter Amy Frazzini and grandson Alan Smith. She has two great grandchildren Charlie and Jack and a son-in-law Doug Frazzini, all of whom were on hand for Lufern’s special day.
During a small celebration at the Care Center last Thursday, Lufern was presented with a birthday card from President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama, which brought tears to her eyes as she read the birthday greeting from the President and First Lady.
"I can’t believe it’s been 100 years," Smith said. "I can’t believe I’ve lived this long."
Lufern’s 100 years
To put it in perspective, Smith’s milestone means she has lived through two World Wars and about a month after she was born, Woodrow Wilson was elected president after defeating then President Howard Taft, former President Theodore Roosevelt and Eugene Debs in a rare four-way election.
Smith was born in Hartland, Minn., but her family which included 10 siblings, moved to Thief River Falls when she was about five years old, according to Ron. She moved to Minneapolis when she was 18 and met her husband Alvin at a dance in Minneapolis. She also worked at the Michael Dowling School for physically challenged children as a teacher’s aid, was an election judge for several years in South Minneapolis and started "flipping houses" before the trend became popular.
"They moved 20 times in about 22 years," Ron said. "They would fix (houses) up and sell them so we moved a lot."
Smith and her sister Luvern were the second youngest, with a younger brother George Mogen as No. 12. Luvern died about 15 years ago but Mogen is 96 and lives in Rogers.