A century of gratitude: Koenig celebrates 101 years

by Dan Holland

For 10-year Chippewa Place resident Lois Koenig, a chance invite by a co-worker to a family dinner eventually led to her being married for 70 years to her friend’s brother – who at the time was away serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Koenig first learned of her future husband, Leslie, through a photo of him in her friend’s family home.

“I was teaching at that time – mainly the younger grade levels – and there was a lady who also taught who was my age,” said Koenig. “She called her dad and asked if I could have Sunday dinner with her family. So, her dad picked me up and brought me to their home.”

“Inside her home, I saw on the piano a photo of a Navy man, and he was so good-looking,” she recalled. “And, I said, ‘Why are all the guys in the service now, when they could be here for me to meet them?'”

Lois and her would-be husband later ended up attending the same church after he returned from military service.

“I think I fell in love with that picture,” Lois recalled. “After the war, their son, who I saw in the picture, came home after serving in the Navy. Somehow, I ended up being in the same church congregation with him, and we started dating and got married after a couple of years.”

Born Sept. 10, 1925, in Sanborn, Minnesota, Lois, who lost her husband seven years ago, taught at Lutheran schools in Cleveland and Garfield Heights for a dozen years. She never ended up earning a college degree, as teachers were in short supply during World War II.

“I went to Concordia College in Chicago, and I liked it there and I wanted to graduate, but I never made it due to the shortage of teachers,” she explained. “I went to college for one year, and they asked me if I would take a year off and help fill the need. That’s when they sent me here to Cleveland, and I taught here for one year and then went back to school.”

“I went for another year to college, as I was supposed to finish up, but they asked me to teach another year,” she continued. “So, I never did graduate. Then I got married instead, and we eventually ended up having five kids.”

Koenig, who had a 100th birthday celebration with family members at Chippewa Place last September, said she has enjoyed her time living at the location. She now has 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

“I love it here,” she said. “They keep us active, and everyone is wonderful here. People help each other and for the most part, they seem to like it here. They have exercise classes here three days a week and a garden here, but I can’t do that anymore. But I do I walk around the complex quite a bit.”

Being grateful in all things and leaning on her Christian faith has allowed Koenig – a former Sunday school teacher – to live a long and happy life.

“You need to count your blessings,” Koenig said. “I am richly blessed, and that’s my secret. I’m so blessed and grateful, and how can you be anything else? I have always had a positive outlook, and I’m thankful for every day. If not for the Lord, I wouldn’t be here. I sometimes wonder why I’m here, as there are things that have happened over the years, but in looking back, a clearer picture is painted.”

Photo caption: Lois Koenig says the secret to living a long and happy life is to count your blessings daily. Photo by Dan Holland.