BEMIDJI — Lillian Mathews celebrated a very special milestone on Monday as she rang in her 105th birthday joined by friends, family members and those who share her passionate faith.
A gathering space in Tamarack Court assisted living was packed with smiles along with some festive balloons, a basket overflowing with birthday cards and a big cake to celebrate the life of a woman that’s lived for over a century.
While many ponder what the secret to living a long life is, Mathews’ answer is simple: “My strong Christian faith,” she said.
“She was educated, went to church faithfully, traveled all over the world, was active her whole life and is such a loving mother,” her youngest daughter Winnie Simenson said. “I think that’s what led to her long life.”
Pastor Corey Fuhrman of First Lutheran Church said Mathews has always been immensely active in the church from attending worship regularly and living her life as a servant of God to being a part of the Women’s Organization inside the church — and many of those women attended her party.
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“She’s gentle, thoughtful and very giving,” her youngest son Bradley Simenson said. “She really appreciates giving back to people and there’s a lot of love in her heart. I think that’s important for living a long life.”
Born in 1918, Mathews has witnessed the world change a lot in her lifetime. She’s lived through multiple elections, global epidemics, wars and historic movements.
But aside from being a loving wife and mother to six children, Mathews began a life-long passion for school, teachers and learning at a very young age.
As the youngest of 10 children, Mathews was left at home while her older siblings attended school. When she was about 5 years old, she would sneak into the nearby school every afternoon and observe from the back of the classroom with her older sisters. The teacher welcomed her to the classroom and would often give her assignments to work on.
After graduating from Clearbrook in 1939, she knew that women had very few options for professions. Essentially, she had two choices: either a teacher or a nurse. Due to her slight aversion to blood and her enjoyment of school, she decided to attend Bemidji State College (Bemidji State University) to become a teacher.
“She’s had people that she used to teach in the first grade that showed up at her 100th birthday party to thank her for being such a good teacher,” Bradley said. “That was really important to her and all of us. I think her faith is a really important factor, she’s thankful for all the friends and families she’s nourished and that have helped her succeed to be 105.”
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