Romang celebrates 100th birthday

By Brian Wilson, The Star News

“Don’t be afraid to work” and “Enjoy your family.”

Those are the words of advice from Jean Romang of Medford who celebrated her 100th birthday on December 5.

The matriarch of two families, Romang is currently a resident at Aspirus Care and Rehab in Medford, and on Tuesday family and friends along with Aspirus staff members gathered to celebrate her milestone birthday.

Jean was born in Curtiss in 1923 to Anton (Tony) and Ina Hennlich. Tony owned a cheese factory. Ina was appointed by President Roosevelt to be the first female postmistress in Curtiss.

Jean described Curtiss as being a bustling community at the time. It was so large that they outgrew the local school she attended there and had to travel to Owen to finish her high school.

In the winter, Jean and her sisters, would get a ride on a sleigh driven by Oscar Koerner with a team of two horses. She recalled that there were four of them on the sleigh and they would bundle up in warm blankets for the ride.

Jean is the middle daughter of the three sisters. Evelyn was the oldest and became Evelyn Wanke. Emily was the youngest and became Emily Elert. Both sisters are deceased.

While a teenager at age 16 she worked as a babysitter for a family that took her along with them as they traveled around the country, visiting places like Seattle, Washington and elsewhere. She graduated from Owen High School in the spring of 1944. She still wears her class ring.

She married George H. Edwards in April 1944. The young couple lived on his parent’s farm and worked there during the early years of their marriage.

“We worked. We worked like dogs,” she said of farming with George’s family.

Jean was never afraid of work and worked hard throughout her life. From the farm chores she went on to working a milk route for Consolidated Badger Cooperative out of Medford. Consolidated Badger took over what had been the Medford Cooperative Creamery Company.

She talks of driving the milk route and lifting the milk cans into the milk truck.

“We always worked, there was too much to do,” she said.

Jobs she held over the years included working at Weather Shield Windows and Doors where she recalls making large windows.

“I worked as a foreman at Weather Shield,” she said. “The men didn’t care for it but I got after them.”

Her life hasn’t been just work. As a youth she was active in the Girl Scouts and earned recognition from the national Girl Scouts organization for being one of the oldest Girl Scouts along with a special badge.

Jean was also active in her children’s lives fund raising for her daughter’s classroom, volunteering with the Parent Teacher Association, at church, helping many of her neighbors and making quilts.

She eventually settled in the Stetsonville area where her garage could be seen just south of the village set up as a little red barn and silo. Jean was active for many years in the Stetsonville community, serving in the American Legion Auxiliary where she was president.

George passed away in 1990. About the same time, Donald Romang, a farmer and truck driver who lived near Athens, became a widower when his wife died.

Don lived on his family farm. Not wanting them to be alone, the suggestion was made to Don to go and see Jean who was living in Stetsonville.

Don stopped by and knocked on her door and introduced himself. In 1995 they got married and were married for 14 years until Don passed. In the process she became the matriarch of a second family gaining stepdaughters who consider her a second mother to them.

When the couple got engaged, Jean told Don that she didn’t want an engagement ring.

“I wanted a big bay window for the house from Weather Shield,” she said.

Being born on St. Nicholas Day, Jean has always had a special place for Santa Claus and was noteworthy for her large Santa collection.

“I had a good life,” Jean said. “I can’t complain.”

According to her family, Jean has always said she wanted to live to be 100, setting it as a goal.

When asked about any advice she would give to younger people today, Jean talked

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about the need to not be afraid to work hard. As far as advice to give her younger self when she was in high school, she said “Quit smoking, and don’t ever smoke again.”

She explained that at the time, everybody smoked, but that she still suffers from the impacts of being a smoker.

Jean has seen and done a lot in her long life and continues to keep up with the happenings in the community reading The Star News each week as well as The Record-Review to find out what is going on in the area.