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Reaching a milestone: Anna Hull celebrates 100th birthday today

Anna Hull, a resident of Nightengale’s Personal Care Home, sits on the front patio of the home on Thursday afternoon with a colorful sign celebrating her 100th birthday today. LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS

MILL HALL — A century filled with ups and downs, love and loss, laughter and tears. That’s the milestone Clinton County resident Anna Hull has reached today.

Hull, whose maiden name is Blazina, was born on Aug. 14, 1920, in Bellefonte. Her father, Frank Thomas Blazina, worked in a limestone quarry until he unfortunately passed away at 33 years old.

“He was a very intelligent fella,” Hull said. “He was part of an orchestra when he was younger.”

Her mother would later remarry her “pup-pup” and be blessed with three brothers on top of the two sisters she already had.

In 1936 she married the late Arthur Lynn Hull and shared 42 years together before his passing in 1978.

The couple raised their five children — Florine, Bob, Mary Ann, Richard and David — on a farm in Mackeyville until the Route 220 highway construction took some of their land. From there the couple moved to the Rote area.

Decades later Anna is still full of life and loves telling stories and experiences. From the adventures of her childhood, like catching heck for cutting the neighbor girl’s hair as a kid to her time as head cook at the renowned Dutch Inn in Mill Hall.

Anna has seen her share of highs and lows throughout her 100 years of life. And she plans to put pen to paper to ensure those stories can be told by her family for years to come.

“When I write my book … get ready,” she said, a determined look on her face.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on a large celebration for her milestone, her family — both biological and at Nightengale’s Personal Care Home where she resides — have done what they can to celebrate her big day.

Her relatives were seated with her, social distancing in place, on the front patio of Nightengale’s soaking in the sun and talking about her favorite memories on Thursday afternoon.

With a pretty pink and silver tiara on her head and a homemade sign reading “Happy Birthday Anna” paired with balloons and sunflowers you could see the care that was taken in giving her something special.

Anna said she doesn’t really have a secret to living as long as she has. A devout Catholic, she can say that faith and family have truly helped her through the most difficult times in her many years on this earth.

As for the advice she’d give the young ones out there she said firmly: “Respect your parents!”

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