Many people who reach 100 years old expect to be the oldest person in the room, but one Kansas centenarian was the youngest of three sisters.
Frances Kompus was fortunate enough to have her 102nd and 104th birthdays with her sisters in November 2021. Frances is the younger sister of 102-year-old Lucy Pochop and 104-year-old Julia Korpiva. They are on the whole grandmas and widows; Lucy and Julia are still living separately in flats close to one another, while Frances is only a couple of squares away.
Growing up on a farm during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, the sisters recall their dad, who resided to the age of 98, working the farm without modern machines and having to transport fuel in 5-gallon cans to him in the field. One of the secrets to living a long and healthy life, according to the sisters, is eating well.
“Homemade bread, basic potatoes, gravy, and meat were always on the menu.” It was difficult to bake with such cookstoves. The temperature was difficult to maintain. We ate it even though it didn’t turn out well,” Julia joked. Lucy Pochop, 102, and Julia Korpiva, 104, are two of the oldest people alive. “I’m grateful for us girls always being together, for my parents, and for my religion,” she continued.
When asked what advice they would provide to future generations, the sisters agreed that exercise and religion were both crucial.
“Walk a ton,” Frances said, before Julia added: “I think confidence starts things out – and thank your folks and grandparents.”
These sisters definitely have a lot of interesting stories to share. What a fortunate age to be alive and to have each other! Hope the three sisters have many more celebrations together. Watch the adorable video and share it.
