TURNING 100

PALMER — Surrounded by more than 25 friends with more than 400 years of combined experience at Matanuska Telephone Association, Pat Lawton began her 100th birthday celebration at the Palmer City Alehouse on Saturday.

Lawton, who officially turns 100 on Feb. 1, recently recalled the good ole days when she moved with her husband, Lloyd, to Alaska. She did various odd jobs including working on Max Sherrod's farm. She still lives next one of her sons near Sherrod Elementary in Palmer, and is still a licensed driver.

Lawton spent nearly two decades at MTA as a secretary for Max Clements from 1963-1980.

"There were six women and five men. It was different... you know there wasn't computers or anything we had the adding machine and the typewriter and you had various jobs," Lawton said.

Lawton worked for MTA and on a farm, when her son was born. Lawton had three children, and while not as many grandkids, a large number of great-grandchildren spend time with Lawton before or after school. Lawton recalls taking her niece to school dances at the Mat-Su Borough building for hours and hours and then walking a mile back to her house. Lawton has never been one to shy away from excitement.

"I don't kick up my heels anymore. Parasailing in Mexico, swimming in Guam, lots of trips to Hawaii... Now I just go to church and shop," is how Lawton claims she's lived so long.

Lawton was active in bowling leagues, an avid golfer, and a yoga instructor. She claims she can still put her leg behind her head. Above all, Lawton is an active member of a community she loves.

"Enjoy people, and be helpful when you can. Be an inspiration...It's been wonderful. I couldn't ask for anything better. People are so friendly," said Lawton with a pause before looking up and smirking. "But I guess I was too."

Lawton was born to Evert Graham and Eva Jones on Feb. 1, 1918. The Grahams had nine children, eight of whom survived to adulthood. Pat was the sixth in that group. She grew up in Oklahoma and went to Hill's Business College before exploring the country and moving to Michigan. She met Lloyd in 1939.

"He was from Saginaw, worked for General Motors. I met him on a blind date,” Lawton said of her husband. “We became real good friends and the next year we got married. We lived in Saginaw for seven years and then my husband read the Alaska sportsman. He wanted to hunt big game. We only had pheasant and deer in Michigan, but he saw the deer and moose and said I want to hunt big game so we moved to Alaska.”

Lawton will continue celebrating her 100th birthday Feb. 4 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the United Protestant Church, and is inviting everyone to attend.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at timothy.rockey@frontiersman.com.