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Woman to celebrate 100th birthday

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By Tom Stafford, Staff Writer 5:21 PM Tuesday, November 17, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — At 100, Martha Hahn’s advice is this: “Never let your brain slow down. Mine hasn’t much. I don’t give it time.”

Hahn will celebrate her birthday with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at Enon Knob Prairie United Church of Christ.

Born Nov. 19, 1909, near Medway, Hahn “never heard a cross word” from her father and had a mother who “liked everybody, same as I (do).”

Attending business school after her 1927 graduation from Olive Branch High School, the girl who’d ridden in horse drawn buggies got a start in the automobile industry.

She kept books for Springfield’s Reo dealership, then when two salesmen went on their own, “I set up files for Ripley-Grisso,” she said.

They did “a tremendous business” selling Durants, then Dodges and Plymouths when “all these big plants were operating in Springfield.”

Hahn joined Sigma Alpha Sorority in 1930 to support its national charities, serving four years in national office and traveling to conventions all over the country. (In 2005, she received her 75-year pin.)

A busy Martha Blakely was complaining one day about a trip to Urbana that night when Charles Hahn overheard her, said he was going and that he’d be delighted to take her.

They married Oct. 9, 1936, and her mechanical engineer husband decided to farm.

“Money didn’t mean a darn thing to him,” Mrs. Hahn said.

But her business experience taught her to invest money when they had it, helping to raise sons Charles and Calvin.

Hahn was active for years in the Republican Party and says “I’ve got a lot of plaques and elephants to show for it.”

In retirement, she found visiting shut-ins “a delight.”

After her husband died in 1995, she continued winter visits to her sons in Arizona.

In July, the woman who calls attitude “the biggest medicine” had a health problem that has put her in Forest Glen care center.

She’s now hoping to heal enough to safely drive again and to make it to her sorority’s next convention.

At 100, she has no plans to let her brain slow down.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0368 or tstafford@coxohio.com.

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Happy Birthday to YOU, Martha!!!! I love reading or listening to folks who are your age. So much to learn about all the things they have seen in their lifetimes. I'm almost 62 and have seen black and white TV go color, three channels become hundreds, computers replace typewriters, man on the moon, cell phones, etc...I'll have something to tell folks when I'm your age. Bless you!!!

Bobbi
2:32 PM, 11/18/2009

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A very happy birthday to you. And hopefully to many many more. I had a greatgrandmother who lived to 104. Also a grandfather from the Medway area who was 96. So have a happy happy day.

Leah
10:56 AM, 11/18/2009

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Your wonderful attitude is what keeps you going and inspires others. My grandmother will be 102 next month, and she is the same way. I bet she would love to meet you.

Happy Birthday!!
6:48 PM, 11/17/2009

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Happy Birthday, Martha!

Pam
5:36 PM, 11/17/2009

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