POLAND — When Louise Dalzell Kyle was born on July 24, 1923, in Petersburg, Ohio, the president of the United States was Calvin Coolidge. She has seen the election of many presidents in the 100 years since then, her favorite being Dwight Eisenhower.

Louise’s family came from across the country Sunday to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Now known as Louise K. Joachim, the wife and mother of area pastors advises other seniors to “Keep as active as you can, keep busy and stay interested in current affairs.”

She said that in her 100 years, she tried to pass on to others “The love of Jesus Christ, and the value of character, especially honesty, and caring for the less fortunate.”

Louise grew up on a farm near New Castle, Pa., with her parents and a brother and sister. She graduated from North Beaver Township High School in 1941. She spent two years at Muskingum College. When gas rationing began during World War II, she transferred to nearby Geneva College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.

Her first teaching job was in Butler, Pa., where she taught fifth grade for two years.

One summer, she followed her brother to Chicago, where she took some graduate courses at Northwestern University. She then taught fifth grade in Wilmette, Ill.

“I liked teaching, and I liked children,” she said.

She also found that she was interested in social work and entered Chicago’s McCormick Presbyterian Seminary, where she received a master’s degree in social work. She also met her future husband, Art Joachim, there. They were married on Dec. 27, 1949.

Her husband was a graduate of Youngstown College (now Youngstown State University) and served in the Navy during the war on an aircraft carrier as the ship’s mailman. After the war, he finished his Master of Divinity degree at McCormick. The couple headed to the Glen Lake Presbyterian church in Minnesota, where he served for six years.

While there she gave birth to her first child, David, and then a daughter, Lynn.

The next move brought them to the North Side of Youngstown, where Art served as the associate minister at First Presbyterian Church for 12 years. While they were there, son Daniel was born.

Next came Highland Heights Presbyterian Church near Lyndhurst, where they spent six years, and then six more years at the First Presbyterian Church in Freemont.

There were joys and sorrows along the way. Louise and Art were proud when David entered Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, while tragedy struck when Daniel took his own life.

“I have a special compassion for parents who lost a child in this way,” Louise said.

Art next served four years at the Toronto Presbyterian Church and then five years at Wycliff Presbyterian Church, after which he retired in 1990. They then moved into a home in Austintown.

A high point for Art and Louise was a trip to Israel, which included visiting several other countries in Europe.

After Art died in 2010, Louise moved into Shepherd of the Valley retirement community, where she has lived for the past 12 years. Art and Louise were married 61 years.

As she reflected on her long life, Louise said, “I used all of my social work skills as a minister’s wife all my life — I just didn’t get paid.

“I enjoyed being a minister’s wife and sharing people’s joys and successes as well as their sorrows.”

Louise has two living children, six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Her current hobbies include writing her autobiography and reading.

She attends the Westminster Presbyterian Church, where David was the pastor for 23 years before retiring in 2017.

Her birthday party was held in a city park in Mars, Pa. A worship service took place with more than 100 guests as David and his cousin preached and grandson Kyle played the guitar.

A potluck fried chicken dinner was served followed by a large pink (Louise’s favorite color) birthday cake. The grandchildren and great-grandchildren played cornhole, frolicked through the splash pad, and played on the ball field and volleyball court.

All of Louise’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren attended as well as nieces, nephews, extended family and her own cousins. People traveled from California, Colorado, New York City, Wisconsin, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio to attend the celebration.

To what does she attribute her long life? “Healthy genes!”

Her father lived to 98, and her sister lived to 99.

As for regrets, “I would have liked to have gone to more national parks,” she said.

Louise’s favorite Scripture is Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”