Clark resident Hazel Ness named South Dakota Centenarian of the Year

CLARK, S.D. — A 107-year-old Clark resident has been named South Dakota Centenarian of the Yr.

The South Dakota Well being Care Affiliation’s Century Membership, together with KELOLAND Tv, introduced Hazel Christopherson Ness the recipient of the 2022 honor. Born in Could of 1915, Ness is 107 years outdated, and is the present oldest member of the Century Membership, in accordance with a press launch.

Even at 107 years outdated, Ness continues to rejoice her proud Norwegian roots. A 13-year resident of Clark’s Roetell Senior Housing, lately she has helped make lefse for residents and employees together with oyster stew on Christmas Eve.

Coincidentally, her birthday is Could 17, a nationwide vacation in Norway, often known as Structure Day. A primary era American, Ness was born in 1915 to Andrew and Marie Christopherson on the household farm close to Naples, S.D. She was one among seven kids, all of whom grew up engaged on the farm.

When requested just lately in regards to the secret to her longevity, she advised her granddaughters that she was “by no means babied.”

Ness has spent her complete life as a resident of Clark County. She married her husband, Clarence Ness, on the Lutheran parsonage in Clark on Feb. 2, 1934. The couple was blessed with two kids: Clayton Allen, born in 1935, and Dianne Marie, born in 1940. The household farmed in Foxton and Merton Township till 1956, after they moved to Clark.

Ness labored as a custodian on the native St. Paul Lutheran Church and at totally different eating places. She additionally labored at an area dance corridor promoting tickets, whereas her husband labored as a bouncer. She favored to say that she allow them to in, and Clarence kicked them out.

Ness has served in a number of organizations, together with the Sons of Norway and Extension Homemakers. She was reportedly a wise and savvy card participant and has belonged to a number of bridge and card teams through the years. She loved quilting, making handmade quilts for all of her grandchildren. She is a superb cook dinner, serving up Norwegian specialties, contemporary fruit and veggies from her backyard, and her mild and buttery sugar cookies proceed to be a household favourite.

Over time, she and Clarence loved visiting their kids and their households usually. She is the proud grandmother of six and great-grandmother to 6 extra. Her son, Clayton and his household nonetheless journey from Oklahoma to see her a number of occasions a yr.

Ness was all the time near her siblings, particularly her three sisters, Margaret, Anna and Clara. Once they would all get collectively, the giggles and laughter could possibly be heard from the road. They liked to play video games, inform tales and attempt to one-up one another with the quickest wit.

Ness has seen a lot in her life together with two world wars, the Spanish flu, the Nice Despair and the soiled 30s. By means of all of it, she’s proven energy and dedication, and has by no means misplaced her fast wit.

The Century Membership was created by the South Dakota Well being Care Affiliation to acknowledge South Dakotans aged 100 or older, each for his or her longevity and their contributions to South Dakota. Over 1,300 South Dakotans have been inducted into the Century Membership since its founding in 1997. The Century Membership is, as its identify states, a membership. Due to this fact, there could also be older individuals within the state that haven’t but been inducted by a member of the family or liked one into the Century Membership.

The Century Membership is open to any resident of South Dakota upon the celebration of his or her one centesimal birthday. There aren’t any dues and every inductee receives a specifically designed certificates and membership card. Annually, the present oldest dwelling Century Membership Member is acknowledged because the Centenarian of the Yr.

Nominations for the Century Membership may be made by visiting

www.sdhca.org

and downloading a Century Membership utility or by calling LuAnn Severson, Century Membership Coordinator, at 1-800-952-3052.