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By Denise Bachman
NEW FREEPORT - Margaret Moninger was written up a few times for disobeying orders while she was a patient at Golden Living Center in Waynesburg.
Seems the Greene County woman likes to do things her way, like getting out of bed unassisted, but at her age, she figures she should be allowed.
Margaret will turn 102 years old on Thursday, and she has had quite a few adventures - some good, some not so good - since Observer-Reporter readers met her two years ago on her 100th birthday.
Last March, Margaret fell off a chair while adjusting her window curtains. Someone would have been happy to fix the curtain for her, but, being the obstinate one she is, "I wanted it down right now."
Margaret broke her left arm, and she broke her pelvis in three places.
"I don't know how I fell," she said, "but I knew I had to get up right away or I wouldn't get up at all."
Doctors never thought she'd regain full use of her arm - "That's OK. I'm right-handed," she told them - and they held out little hope she would ever walk again without the use of a cane or walker.
She proved them wrong on all counts.
"A cane is for old people," she told the physical therapist, and before long, she was helping other patients up and down the steps at Golden Living.
When the weather breaks in the spring, and after she recovers from a bout of bronchitis, Margaret plans to apply for a job as a greeter at Wal-Mart. Although she renewed her driver's license, she no longer has a car. She sold it less than three months ago, the circumstances of which differ, depending on who tells the story.
"They sold my car. They told me I couldn't drive," Margaret said.
"No. She sold her car," said her daughter, Shirley Zimmerman, who lives down the road from her mother.
But that's OK. Her granddaughter, Donna Roberts of Rogersville, said if Margaret gets the job, she'll make sure she gets a ride to work.
In 2008, Margaret also toured Nova Scotia. It was her idea to take the trip, but then she started to second-guess herself, reasoning that "at your age, you have no business going," she said.
She didn't have a passport, and by the time she decided to go, the only way she could obtain one was to drive to Washington, D.C., which a grandson gladly did. The two made the round trip in one day.
While going through customs during her Canadian trip, Margaret was questioned about her age. Turns out that when her birthday was typed into the computer, it read her two-digit - 08 - birth year as 2008, not 1908. That made her 8 months old. She had some explaining to do.
"They said it's the first time that ever happened," Shirley said.
Later that year, Margaret, after dropping several hints, welcomed her first - and only - namesake, a great-great-daughter, Madelyn Margaret Roberts, who was born Dec. 9, 2008.
Last year, she was invited to tour her alma mater, West Liberty (W.Va.) State Teachers College. It was her first trip back since 1928, and she posed for a photo on the steps outside her dorm, just like she did all those years ago.
"Things have changed there," she quipped.
She is Amazing! : 2/3/2010
YOu wouldn't believe Margerat is 102 if you meet her in person. The energy, her memory, the things that she does, and of course the trouble she got in... She is so full of life, I just love it. I shared this story with my friends, we can't help but loving her! Happy 102th Birthday, Margerat!
Made Me Smile Today : 2/3/2010
If she gets the job at Walmart....I am going to go there just to meet her!! I love her spunk!!
Grandma Margaret : 2/3/2010
I am a granddaughter (Okay Deb, I am the second one!). When I was nine I wrote a letter of Birthday greeting asking her, in fun, how it felt to be 101...that was in 1967....she saved the letter and when she did turn 101 she wrote to me and included a copy of my letter, and her own stating that she felt great..she is a crazy fun, wonderful compassionate lady...and her Holiday decorations and music on her roof for all cars going up or down the road is the best. Happy Birthday Grandma...and you GO FOR that greeter position at Wal Mart..it will definately increase their sales! Love, Kim
Grandma's letter to me : 2/3/2010
In 1967 (I was nine) I wrote to Grandma asking her, in fun, how it felt to be 101....she saved that letter and when she turned 101, she wrote to me, included my letter and said that she felt great! I am now 52 and an looking forward to another 52 + years! My favorite memory is when our family would drive from NW Ohio to Pap and house and beg dad to 'coast' the car down the hill to their home so they wouldn't hear us....the decorations on the porch were always so wonderful, and when we 'quietly' go in both she and Grandpap Don would act as though they were so surprised to see us!!! I loved that..and never once did I realize that they, of course, knew we had arrived, parked and were on our way in, Thank you Grandma for making everyday such a delight! And how does if feel to be 102?? Love you! Kim
Grandma Margaret : 2/11/2010
Way To Go Grandma !!!!!
Grandma Margaret : 2/16/2010
I hope I have a tenth of those wonderful genes of yours! You're an inspiration. I'm so thankful my twins have had the chance to get to know and love you. They still talk about your faux gold mine and the snakes in the basement! I cherish the time I took you to get your first real professional manicure (what were you? 98 at the time?) and then made you climb stairs to the top of the war memorial in Indianapolis. I had so much fun. Would love to treat you to another manicure soon. Love you!
