Hamilton resident rings in her 104th birthday

Berkeley Square retirement community resident Ruth Campbell celebrated her birthday last weekend.

And when you are 104 years old, there is plenty to celebrate.

Campbell was surrounded by five generations of her family as she reflected on a life well-lived.

Campbell grew up in Eaton on a farm and her family made it through the Great Depression with hard work and living off of what they produced.

It was a lot of long hours, she remembers.

“When you live on a farm, you have to be pretty active,” she said. “I got a lot of exercise.”

Campbell and her husband bought a 165-acre farm with corn, wheat, soy beans, cows, hogs, chickens and more, according to her family.

After living in the country for nearly 40 years, Campbell and her husband became some of the earliest residents at Berkeley Square.

“Everything about it is perfect, especially the staff and my neighbors,” she said. “Everyone is genuinely concerned about your well-being and helpful.”

Jan Tieman is a fellow Berkeley Square resident and she enjoy’s Campbell’s friendship.

“I really admire Ruth. She doesn’t let anything get her upset, she just goes with the flow. She goes to every activity — the bingo, the chair volleyball,” Tieman said. Sometimes I have to ask around to find out where she is.”

Campbell has some advice for those seeking to live a long life.

“When you get to be this age, you live day to day, and that’s a good way to live at any age,” she explained. “You have to go along with things as they happen. You may plan things that don’t always happen, and something may come up unexpectedly. Just live your best, day to day.”

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