Stillwater resident celebrates 104th birthday

Stillwater resident Laura Schlobohm celebrated 104 years of life at her birthday party on Friday at Golden Oaks Village assisted living facility.

Schlobohm's birthday is May 28, and after celebrating many, she shared her secrets to living such a long and fulfilling life.

“On (Schlobohm’s mother’s) 100 birthday, they asked her the same question and she said 'keep breathing,' so I think that's my advice, just keep breathing and you’ll make it,” Schlobohm said. “I was a great worrier earlier in my life… I finally sat myself down and said ‘if you can do something about it then do it, if you can't then let go, somebody else will take care of it.’”

In her 104 years, Schlobohm has lived an amazing life, in which she has been able to see both societal changes and technological advances. Schlobohm has witnessed events that have shaped American history; the Dust Bowl, World War II and the first man on the moon. 

Through all of these monumental moments, she continued to live her own quiet life. Schlobohm loved to teach – she taught high school for 30 years.

She began her career in Reading, Kansas, where she met her husband during her first year of teaching. Together, they had three sons and one daughter.

Toward the end of her career, Schlobohm even taught alongside her daughter, Sally Harris, in Osage City, Kansas. The two had quite the connection.

“We taught together the first year I was out of college,” Harris said. “She was the junior English teacher, I was the freshman English teacher. She did drama. I did speech.”

It was years later that Schlobohm moved to Stillwater. Although she is a Kansas native, she considers Stillwater her new home.

“I think Stillwater's is a wonderful place," Schlobohm said. "I've enjoyed living here. The 12 years I've been here have been great."

Today, Schlobohm resides in Golden Oaks Village. It is here that she lives a great life with her friends and the nurses who care for her, even if they occasionally get her in trouble for speeding on her electric scooter.

At 104, Schlobohm has a great outlook on life.

“There's always better on the other side," Schlobohm said. "There's something better coming down the road, just be ready for it."