DARLINGTON - Love of life is in the air today for Agnes Gossner.
She is 104 years old today, and will have a party at Lafayette Manor and then with family at the Darlington Country Club. She's proud to say she's lived through 18 presidents and six popes.
Although Gossner has a hard time hearing and doesn't see as well as she used to, as her daughter speaks into her ear making jokes from the past, she laughs as if they happened yesterday.
Gossner was born Feb. 14, 1904 in Gossau, Switzerland, in a town called St. Gallen. After junior high, she worked as a sewing teacher at a store that sold sewing machines, milk separators and motorcycles. In her apron, she always carried a pair of pliers for people who got needles stuck in their thumbs.
In 1928, Gossner, then 24, married her husband, Ernest in Switzerland before they came to the U.S. to work at a Swiss cheese factory at the Burke factory in Seymour.
She was admittedly nervous to leave her family.
"I was homesick," she said softly.
Although it was hard to leave her family behind, Gossner looked at the moon and stars each night, knowing her relatives were seeing the same ones in Switzerland.
Gossner spent her years caring for the hired men at the cheese factory, who were provided room and board at the time. She also spent time working in the factory, stirring the kettles of milk to keep the curd moving so the Swiss cheese came out perfectly.
In 1932, the couple moved to Darlington when given the opportunity to purchase a co-op cheese factory. There, they extracted cream for the Darlington Creamery, which was eventually made into butter, and also raised chickens and Belgian rabbits for food. She and Ernest became citizens in the 1940s.
After being at the factory for about 20 years, son-in-law Bill Purcell took over the business when the couple retired and moved.
Gossner is a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, past president of CCW and past president of the Altar Society.
She enjoyed flowers and gardening, and was a charter member of the Darlington Gardening Club as well as a past president. She also taught sewing to 4-H students at the high school.
Today, Gossner enjoys visitors, phone calls, family and the nurses at Lafayette Manor chatting with her to pass the days. The Manor has been celebrating with her for the past five years, and Thursday will bring cake, punch and a musical guest in her honor.
So what's the secret to long life according to Gossner?
"Eating Swiss cheese I guess."
She is 104 years old today, and will have a party at Lafayette Manor and then with family at the Darlington Country Club. She's proud to say she's lived through 18 presidents and six popes.
Although Gossner has a hard time hearing and doesn't see as well as she used to, as her daughter speaks into her ear making jokes from the past, she laughs as if they happened yesterday.
Gossner was born Feb. 14, 1904 in Gossau, Switzerland, in a town called St. Gallen. After junior high, she worked as a sewing teacher at a store that sold sewing machines, milk separators and motorcycles. In her apron, she always carried a pair of pliers for people who got needles stuck in their thumbs.
In 1928, Gossner, then 24, married her husband, Ernest in Switzerland before they came to the U.S. to work at a Swiss cheese factory at the Burke factory in Seymour.
She was admittedly nervous to leave her family.
"I was homesick," she said softly.
Although it was hard to leave her family behind, Gossner looked at the moon and stars each night, knowing her relatives were seeing the same ones in Switzerland.
Gossner spent her years caring for the hired men at the cheese factory, who were provided room and board at the time. She also spent time working in the factory, stirring the kettles of milk to keep the curd moving so the Swiss cheese came out perfectly.
In 1932, the couple moved to Darlington when given the opportunity to purchase a co-op cheese factory. There, they extracted cream for the Darlington Creamery, which was eventually made into butter, and also raised chickens and Belgian rabbits for food. She and Ernest became citizens in the 1940s.
After being at the factory for about 20 years, son-in-law Bill Purcell took over the business when the couple retired and moved.
Gossner is a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, past president of CCW and past president of the Altar Society.
She enjoyed flowers and gardening, and was a charter member of the Darlington Gardening Club as well as a past president. She also taught sewing to 4-H students at the high school.
Today, Gossner enjoys visitors, phone calls, family and the nurses at Lafayette Manor chatting with her to pass the days. The Manor has been celebrating with her for the past five years, and Thursday will bring cake, punch and a musical guest in her honor.
So what's the secret to long life according to Gossner?
"Eating Swiss cheese I guess."