Many people who reach their 100th birthday assume to be the oldest person in the room, but one Kansas centenarian was the youngest of her three sisters. Frances Kompus was fortunate enough to have her milestone birthday with her sisters, ages 102 and 104, in November 2021.

Frances is the younger sister of 102-year-old Lucy Pochop and 104-year-old Julia Korpiva. They are all widows and grandmothers; Lucy and Julia still live separately in flats close to one other, while Frances is just a few blocks away.

Growing up on a farm during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, the siblings remember their dad, who lived to the age of 98, managing it without modern tractors and having to transport fuel in 5-gallon buckets to him in the field.

The siblings said that eating well was one of the keys to living a long and healthy life. They always had fresh bread, simple potatoes, gravy, and meat.

That was difficult to bake with such cookstoves. The temperature was difficult to maintain. Even if it didn’t turn out well, they ate it, Julia joked. She concluded that she is glad for them ladies always being together, for her parents, and for her faith.

When questioned what guidance they would provide to younger generations, the sisters believed that fitness, as well as faith, was crucial. Walk a lot, Frances advised, before Julia added, and thank ones parents and grandparents.

I’m sure these sisters have a lot of interesting things to tell. What a fortunate age to be alive and to have each other.