‘Drink your milk’: 104-year-old woman shares tips for living a long life
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR/Gray News) - A woman in Illinois has marked a major milestone with her 104th birthday.
Doris Oncken was born Feb. 19, 1921 on a farm in Belvidere.
Oncken spent most of her life in Belvidere before retiring to Friendship, Wisconsin with her husband.
She has now lived at Wesley Willows in Rockford, Illinois for 12 years.
At the nursing home, she regularly participates in total body strength training, like lifting dumbbells and cognitive exercises to keep her mind sharp.
During her party on Wednesday, she shared her advice for longevity.
“Drink your milk. And behave yourself,” she said. “I was always told I would live to this age because I was born on a farm and I drank milk directly from a cow. By golly, it’s stuck with me all these years. And I’m very happy with it.”
Oncken isn’t the only centenarian in her family. She also has a 101-year-old sister in North Carolina.
In addition to friends and family, her 90-year-old baby sister attended her party.
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