“Our mom is amazing,” Christine Petri said in an email of her mom turning 100 this week. “She has adapted so well to whatever her circumstances are….as long as she can do for herself, including walking to her beauty shop once a week and cleaning everyday, she is contented…winning at Dominoes helps a lot too!”
Marie Petri will celebrate her 100th birthday Thursday, April 25. It will be a quiet celebration due to COVID-19, but her family and friends look forward to her 101 in 2021.
Marie was only five when she moved with her family from Hockenheim, Germany, to settle in Cleveland. She was educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame in both elementary and high school, and SHE has always been appreciative of their guidance and her parents’ sacrifice. She fell in love with a neighborhood man, Christian Petri, who dreamed of becoming a military pilot. They married in 1940 after he achieved his goal, and the two were stationed in several places including Shreveport, Savannah, and Dayton. Their first daughter, Marlene was born in 1941. Soon after the Pearl Harbor attack, Chris was flying strafe bombers in the Pacific arena, earning medals and promotions. In 1944, he was back in the States test piloting, but his plane went down in Ohio. He was killed May 7. Eleven days later, Marie gave birth to a second daughter, Christine.
Marie raised her girls in Cleveland with the help of her parents until their deaths in 1957. She instilled in them a love of education, travel, reading, and the performing and visual arts. She supported her family with jobs as a nursery school teacher and retail clerk, and she settled on a 29-year career with the Ohio Bell Company, working her way up into management. She maintains relationships with some of her co-workers. Until she left Ohio, Marie was active in her community senior group. She enjoyed travel, card playing, and church activities. Both daughters had moved out of town, so Marie moved to Chester in 2004 be closer.
Marie joined her new community with enthusiasm. The Red Hat Society captured her sense of fun, and she became a member of both the Chester Chics and The Fabulous Tri-City Chicks. A K-Mart breakfast group also gave her lots of laughs and enduring friendships.
As a member of St. Ann Catholic Church, she enjoyed Sunday fellowship, playing cards, and fun times with its senior group members. She attended AARP meetings and many of the other activities offered by the Colonial Heights Senior Center and by Chester’s Bensley Center, especially the parties and dances. Marie makes friends easily and still enjoys the company of others who love fun, lively conversation, and sharing of personal stories. Those friends celebrated with her for a surprise 90th party back in 2010 and looked forward to her 100th!
Marie relishes the company of her five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She speaks with pride whenever her grandchildren are mentioned, and she appreciates the beautiful families they have created. All 24 family members gather each year to enjoy a week of beach bliss at the Outer Banks. They hope to celebrate Marie’s year of being 100 at the beach house in July, their April plans having been drastically altered. “Congratulations Marie! Your life is an inspiration of perseverance, commitment to family and friends, fun times and generosity. Happy 100th birthday!” From the family.
