The year was 1926. The world was stunned by the first public demonstration of the television, Ford factory workers invented the 40-hour work week and Babe Ruth hammered a World Series record three homers over the fence against the St. Louis Cardinals.  

It was also the year that, in the fledgling state of Montana with a population just shy of 550,000, a baby girl named Blanche Garrett was born in the tiny town of Terry. Garrett scraped her way through the Great Depression in the Flathead Valley, built ships in Portland, Oregon, during World War II and then returned to her native Montana, where she married the love of her life and they bought their first home for $6,500 with no down payment.  

And 10 decades later, Garrett celebrated her 100th birthday in the company of 14 of Montana's centenarians who were honored at the 57th annual Governor's Conference on Aging on Oct. 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell.  

"It's a privilege to help recognize and celebrate Montana's centenarians. This year, nearly 40 Montanans have reached or surpassed the remarkable milestone of turning 100 years young," Gov. Greg Gianforte quipped during an introductory video. "What an incredible achievement. This accomplishment represents a lifetime of experiences, relationships, work, and contributions to families and communities across our state." 

Completing those hundred laps around the sun is no easy feat. There are an estimated 108,000 centenarians in the United States, according to statistics from the United Nations, or just .03% of the American populace.  

In Montana, that includes 23 100-year-olds, 12 101-year-olds, four 102-year-olds, a 103-year-old and a 104-year-old. At the Hilton Garden Inn, a large crowd gathered for a luncheon to celebrate the honorees and glean some wisdom from the collective millennium-and-a-half of life experience present in the room. 

The showing from the Flathead Valley was strong: Garrett, 100, of Kalispell; Shirley McConnell, 101, of Polson; William "Jim" Sivelle, 100, of Polson; Jean Todd, 100, of Whitefish; Marie Trodick, 101, of Columbia Falls; Virginia Morrow, 102, of Kalispell; and Dorothy Mundt, 102, of Whitefish. 

Despite the breadth of life experiences, places lived and careers pursued, the advice from the gathered centenarians circled around the same simple themes: kindness, forgiveness, faith. The determination to accomplish something every day, hard work and staying active and involved in the community. Family repeatedly came up, and some laughed about the importance of good genetics. 

This was a generation of people whose lives were defined by World War II. Sivellle served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Detroit, flying in the second seat of a Kingfisher. In 1945, he stood on the deck of the Detroit in Tokyo Bay and witnessed Japan's surrender.  

These centenarians continued to seize life even as the years ticked on. McConnell, at the age of 82, decided to pursue a late-in-life career in acting. She acted in commercials and short films, earning membership in the Screen Actors Guild and performed in children's theater as Glinda the "The Wizard of Oz" and the Fairy Godmother in "Cinderella." In 2025, at the age of 100, she performed as a "sit-down comedian" for an audience of 200 and earned a standing ovation.  

Todd continued to pursue education throughout her life: while in her 50s, she earned a doctorate in education specializing in dyslexia and later owned the Attic Reading Center. She still loves to learn how to use technology, embracing her computer, research tools and apps.  

There were also several firsts represented among the group: Mundt was the first woman in Montana appointed to the U.S. Border Patrol, serving a 30-year career in immigration law enforcement. Garrett was the first female real estate agent in Kalispell.  

Family was an important theme throughout the event. Morrow is known as grandma and nanny to many, and she loves to spend time with her numerous great-grandchildren. She credits faith, family, laughter and refusing to hold a grudge with helping her reach 102, with her favorite saying including "Don't worry, be happy." 

Meanwhile, Trodick was joined by her brother, Earl Jensen, 102, of Circle. The two siblings, a year apart, have certainly cracked the code for a long life. Trodick said to "use it or lose it" when it comes to both physical and mental activity, while Jensen believes his dedication to his work and to his faith have played a role in his longevity.  

Each centenarian was presented with a certificate honoring their achievement — not just for the milestone of 100 years, but in recognition the ways they impacted the state of Montana, in ways big and small, during those years.  

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    Jean Todd, 100, of Whitefish. (Courtesy Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services)
  

    Marie Trodick, 101, of Columbia Falls with her brother Earl Jensen, 102, who still lives in Circle, where the two grew up. (Courtesy Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services)
  

    William "Jim" Sivelle, 100, and Shirley McConnell, 101, of Polson. (Courtesy Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services)
  

    Blanche Garrett, 100, of Kalispell. (Courtesy Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services)