LIHU‘E — “I can’t believe it is 2009,” Mollie Ching said during the celebration of her 100th birthday, Monday, at the Kaua‘i Adult Day Health Center in Lihu‘e. “I just live every day. I can eat everything and nothing bothers
LIHU‘E — “I can’t believe it is 2009,” Mollie Ching said during the celebration of her 100th birthday, Monday, at the Kaua‘i Adult Day Health Center in Lihu‘e. “I just live every day. I can eat everything and nothing bothers me.”
She was born Oct. 19, 1909, in Hanapepe, said her son, Gary, who came from Auburn, Wash., to celebrate the occasion.
“She went to Normal School for teaching and has been a teacher ever since,” he said. “She’s taught at different schools, but the last school she was at was Kapa‘a Elementary School before she retired.”
Hideo Wakuta, a client at the day care facility, is one of several who is acquainted with Mollie.
“She was a really good teacher,” Wakuta said. “Strict, but really good. I got spanked by the ruler a few times, but it is still good because I learned what she had to teach.”
Janelle Vea remembers her from when she was a student in Mollie’s science class in the fourth grade.
“When she talked, she was real firm in what she had to say,” said Vea whose last name was Kaleiohi when she was a student. “She’s still the same today.”
Another client, Connie Chu, worked with Mollie and joined the well wishers by presenting her with a special lei she made from a neighbor’s flowers.
The KADHC staff describes Mollie, a client for the past eight to 10 years, as being very strong and able.
“She might come in a wheelchair, but after she gets here, she gets out and walks around on her own,” a staff member said. “She’s very sharp in board games, oftentimes questioning the legitimacy of a word — ‘Are you sure that’s a word?’ — and we have to look up the word in the dictionary.”
Lorna Ching, one of Mollie’s daughters, said Mollie was the third of five children and her maiden name was Hee. Mollie currently lives with Lorna in Kapa‘a.
Gary was joined by Mollie’s daughter Adrienne Lenart who arrived from Palm Springs, Calif., with her husband Mi Haly and her children, Meilani and Stephan to help with the celebration that extended beyond the KADHC gathering to a more intimate family gathering at the Hanama‘ulu Cafe.
“Mollie is still very capable,” Adrienne said. “Half of the problem is she can’t hear and the staff of KADHC works so well, whispering to her so she can understand. It’s such a blessing to have people like them.”
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
