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2 celebrate their 100th birthdays

By BETSY BOLGER-PAULET
Published December 14, 2006

The first week of December marked a milestone for two local women, Marian Flora Renner of Largo and Margaret Kidd Daum of Dunedin. Both longtime area residents reached the century mark.

Marian, who lived much of her life as a rancher's wife in Montana, celebrated her 100th birthday with friends at East Bay Nursing Center in Largo, her home for the last 18 months.

She was born Dec. 1, 1906, in Fairport, N.Y., the only daughter of Elizabeth and Fred Blier, and grew up on the family farm with four brothers.

She met Raymond Renner of Great Fails, Minn., when he was visiting in New York and, after he returned to his ranch, the couple corresponded.

She is quick to admit that when he asked her to come to Montana to marry him she was "scared to death." She was only 19 and had never traveled alone. When she found herself lost in Chicago she was happy when "a nice gentleman" helped her to the right train.

The Renners raised a family on the ranch. Asked about her children, she laughed and said she "had two boys - that's all I could stand."

Her sons also live in Florida, Lyle in Clearwater and Gary in Punta Gorda.

She and her husband were both active in their sons' lives. She was a pack mother for their Cub Scout den and later he was a leader in their Boy Scout troop.

For a New York farm girl, living in the western frontier country was a challenge.

"We used to go huntin' all the time: rabbit, deer, elk, moose. Had to - that was dinner - couldn't run down to a store like now," she said.

About 35 years ago the couple came to live in the Avalon Mobile Home Park in Largo. They were married more than 50 years when Mr. Renner died, and she remained at Avalon until she moved to the East Bay center.

She has five grandchildren scattered throughout the country and two great-grandchildren.

The centenarian's outlook is simple.

"I just led an ordinary life. I didn't smoke or drink - well, maybe a drink or two at a party. But that was it," she said with a smile.

* * *

Margaret Kidd Daum celebrated her 100th birthday at Mease Continuing Care in Dunedin.

Born Dec. 6, 1906, in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was the second of five children born to George and Margaret Burke Kidd, who came to this country from Kilkenny, in the southern Leinster province of Ireland. Her father was a real estate salesman in upstate New York.

She remembers her "Pop" as the "happiest guy that ever lived - everyone loved George."

Her mother taught her how to sew and knit. In the summertime the family would rent a cottage on Rockaway Beach.

The Catholic church was the center of the family life, and she admits that, like her sisters and brothers, she knew if she failed to attend church "the devil would get me."

She attended St. Anthony's Catholic School and, at 15, enrolled in Drake Business School, near Wall Street in New York City.

After graduating from the school's secretarial program, she worked for Title Guarantee and Trust Co. and commuted on the subway.

"It was only a nickel to ride. My first paycheck was $15 and I deposited most of that in the bank. Pop taught me all about business."

She enjoyed working at the bank, beginning as a clerk and moving up to secretary.

She met many nice-looking men at the bank and had lots of dating opportunities, but it was Robert Paul Daum who "was the best thing in my life."

In the early 1940s, Mr. Daum, a bank examiner, whom she describes as her "precious Robert, a handsome, good, decent and honest man," asked the permission of her family and church to marry her. The couple moved to Long Island. She stopped working and, with her husband, enjoyed church, golf and traveling (with many trips to Ireland).

The couple's adventurous spirit eventually led them to Florida and the Clearwater area. In the early 1980s they moved into a condo and then in 1990 to Mease Manor, where they enjoyed an active social live.

When Mr. Daum became ill in 1994, the couple moved back to his native Columbus, Ohio.

Shortly after her husband died at age 94 on Oct. 23, 1995, in Columbus, she came back to Mease Manor.

In 2000, she went to Mease Assisted Living and in 2003 to Mease Continuing Care.

The centenarian is popular at the facility for her upbeat attitude and her smile. She is known for always having a good word for all. She enjoys participating in the activities, the Catholic services and visiting with residents and staff.

While her brothers have all died, her sister, Grace, who is 12 years younger, lives in Bay Ridge, N.Y.

Her nephew, Gracie's son, Ray Tobin, whom she calls "the son I never had," keeps in touch with his aunt.

When asked her thoughts on reaching the century mark, she quipped, "I never thought I would, never wanted to. The very fact that I did and that everything is working - for that, I am grateful. What helps? Not smoking and a short Manhattan every night."

* * *

50 years celebrated

Anthony and Barbara Jonnatti of Palm Harbor celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a surprise brunch at the 801 Main St. restaurant in Safety Harbor given by their children. They were married Nov. 17, 1956, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Braddock, Pa.

They came here in 1980 from Glenshaw, Pa. He is twice retired, first as an electrical engineer from Square D Co. and second with Instrument Transformers, both located in Clearwater.

They have six children and seven grandchildren.

She was a schoolteacher in Pennsylvania, a homemaker for many years and most recently taught preschool at Lutheran Church of the Palms in Palm Harbor, where they are members.

She has volunteered for more than 22 years at Palm Harbor Library. He is active in the IEEE Transformer Committee.

For information or an anniversary form, call (727) 445-4109. To submit an item to Good for You, write to Betsy Bolger-Paulet, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Fax to (717) 441-4119, or e-mail paulet@sptimes.com.

[Last modified December 13, 2006, 22:09:34]