Family and friends – with a special appearance from Mayor Suzette Cooke – celebrated Tillie Koch’s 103rd birthday at Titus Court on Dec. 23.
A 10-year resident, Tillie is the oldest tenant at the Kent senior housing community. She officially turned 103 on Dec. 18.
“I feel fine,” Tillie said. “I am healthy and living at a place I enjoy.”
Born and raised on a small farm in North Dakota, Tillie was one of 11 children. Her father was a carpenter, welder and jack-of-all-trades.
“We didn’t have a big farm, but we had what we needed,” she said. “We had a big garden to maintain. I had a beautiful mother and father.”
Tillie and her late husband, Michael, were married for 42 years. They raised two daughters, who live nearby.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
