Estelle Peatee shares how times have changed in 105 years
By Penny Gruetzmacher
Correspondent
“Be self-sufficient, apply yourself and don’t procrastinate. Work and study… nothing comes free,” are among the words of advice Estelle Peatee has to share.
Estelle knows better than most, based on her experience. She celebrated her 105th birthday Feb. 5.
She said there’s no magic formula to longevity but believes people can live a longer life if they watch their diet and take natural, not synthetic, supplements.
“I try to avoid carbs and cut out my sugar,” Estelle said, adding that she also eats fruits and vegetable along with small meals.
She said things were a lot different for her growing up than it is for children today. Estelle’s father spoke five languages – Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Czechoslovakian and English, the latter of which she said her mom never learned.
There were 10 children in her family and she was number six. Though none of her siblings are still alive, she said many of them lived into their nineties.
“We all had jobs at an early age. As a young teenager, I remember walking two miles to pick berries and being paid 5 cents per quart and then walking home. I also remember working at a little hotel where I cleaned rooms and washed the dishes,” Estelle recalled.
She said she held several jobs while growing up and going to school including at restaurants and she waited on tables that fed workers from three large companies in her hometown of Rossford, Ohio.
“We were in the same category as Danny Thomas – the poor helping the poor. We were mostly immigrants and when people heard that someone was sick, they helped one another. Maybe a big pot of chicken noodle soup would arrive at the door,” Estelle said.
She said her mom would bake 10 loaves of bread at a time and her dad had built a brick oven outside used to bake the bread.
So many changes
Estelle said there were no streetlights, no paved streets and it was pitch black when she would walk home at night.
“I remember my mom teaching me that if I were home alone and someone that I didn’t know came to the door, I was to start yelling all my brothers’ names like they were in the house. I taught this to my children,” she said.
Her mom took in boarders during the day to sleep to bring in a little extra money; they worked at night at Libbey Owens Ford, the largest employer in Rossford at the time.
Estelle said she remembers helping her mom scrub floors at Libbey Owens and the outhouse back by the alley.
“There were no cars. Everyone rode streetcars, buses, or walked. We always walked to the grocery store or church. My mom washed clothes on a washboard and I would turn the wringer for her. I was 16 when mom finally got a washing machine,” she said.
Prior to meeting her husband, Estelle worked at the Paramount Theater in Toledo where she met many celebrities such as Paul Whiteman and Ozzy Nelson.
“We wore long gowns and had different duties. Also, I worked at a cafeteria as a cashier, which fed 700 people daily. They had amazing food and a magnificent bakery,” she said.
Estelle also recalls a lot of homes being quarantined. She said babies were born at home with midwives and funerals were held in the front parlors of homes.
“When I raised my children, we had cloth diapers and hung them outside to dry. I boiled bottles to make formula for the baby,” she said.
Her daughter, Kathy Truesdale, remembers when her mom spilled that pot of scalding water on her arm, calmly threw a towel over it and said it will be fine.
“It was wrapped in bandages for weeks,” Kathy said.
Estelle said during the war, they rationed sugar.
“We were given more sugar than needed, since the children were so small, so I shared it with other families,” she said.
Among Estelle’s favorite changes and improvements over the years have been washing machines, dryers, and stoves.
Estelle and her husband, Harely, had seven children. All of them graduated from college – most have a masters in a variety of studies from Chemistry, English, Social Studies to Guidance and Counseling and Dentistry. They live in Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
She explained that Harley started his own business selling sanitary supplies and as the company grew, it afforded them the opportunity to travel. She’s been to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany and England.
“Traveling gives you the broadest education,” Estelle said.
She stayed in their condo after Harley died at the age of 71 and eventually moved into an independent living facility in Ohio.
“I gave up my drivers license at the age of 100 and was never involved in an accident,” Estelle said.
Family memories
Kathy said her sister, Diane, described their mom this way: A profile in loveliness, art, grace, style, elegance and natural beauty.
“I have always thought mom to be the most curious person I have ever known – whatever the topic – recipes, politics, fashion, decorating, news stories, supplements and healthy eating,” Diane told Kathy.
Kathy said she remembers her mom making their clothes, canning pickles, and vegetables, always having a beautiful dinner ready for the family of nine, always eating at 6 p.m. when her dad got home from work.
“I remember her baking beautiful pies, cakes, and cookies for special occasions. Sundays were about family not work,” Kathy said.
She said they all went to church together and would then pile into the station wagon for an activity – a day in the park, an ice cream treat, a trip to an apple orchard or on a special occasion, a day at the beach.
“I especially remember her talking about the importance of an education so we could take care of ourselves. There was no doubt what she expected from all of us. She had the older ones helping the younger ones,” Kathy said.
“And I remember always feeling that she gave me special attention. We probably all felt that way,” she added.
Two of Estelle’s kids have died: Sandy from breast cancer; Ron from a drive-by shooting.
She has 14 grandchildren ranging in age from 30 to 53, and 22 great-grandchildren who are 1 1/2 to 25 years old.
Estelle, who now lives at Ridgestone in Elkhorn, said these days she enjoys getting out socially, talking to people, going out to eat and attending mass at St. Patrick’s.
“I especially enjoy playing dice games with my grandchildren and great grandchildren,” Estelle said. “I like to win too!”
