Helen Haberkamp, a resident of Madison House Retirement & Assisted Living in Kirkland, will turn 103 years old on June 29.

Haberkamp was born in Arlington, Ill. in 1909. She was raised in the Lutheran Missouri Synod and she attended parochial school, which was taught in both English and German. She learned to read the Bible in German.

Haberkamp was born the oldest in her family and still is! Her younger sister is 100 and her baby sister recently passed away at 89 years old. She has a daughter and son, two grandsons and three great-grandchildren.

She worked for the US Post Office after raising her children and after retirement did private child care. She loves children and also taught Sunday school for eight years, saying, “It is wonderful to see what kids think!”

Haberkamp traveled extensively around the world until well into her 90’s. She went on an African safari, saw the Great Wall of China, and even road on the Trans-Siberian Railroad in Russia.

Haberkamp feels that faith, family and honesty is so important, exclaiming, “Always pay your bills!”

She also feels it is very important to get out of her apartment every day. “Even if you don’t feel like it and see what’s going on!”

Haberkamp stopped driving at age 95 when she retired to Madison House Retirement & Assisted Living.