Walter N. Hill of Tamaqua celebrated his 100th birthday on July 21 surrounded by family and friends, including a new great-grandson. The party was held in the community room at the Tamaqua Majestic House apartments.

The son of the late Joseph and Alma Hill was born in Philadelphia. He graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois and the Eastern Baptist Seminary in Pennsylvania before embarking on a 57-plus year calling as a Baptist minister. He remembers those years of active preaching, noting he "has many good memories," especially of the 30 years he spent in Arkansas working alongside his wife, Rita.Walter and Rita were married for 64 years before she passed away on Nov. 2, 2006, at the age of 88. During their time together, they had three daughters: Judy, wife of Stan Holloway of New Ringgold; Joy, wife of Al Cheese of Hampstead, North Carolina; and Janet Hill-Getz of Bloomington, Illinois. Those daughters provided them with four grandsons: Josh Holloway in Cliff Island, Maine, with his wife, Heidi; Zach Cheese in Mechanicsburg, with his wife, Erica; Nick and Louis Getz, both of Bloomington, Illinois; and two stepchildren, Todd Cheese in Andreas with his wife, Stacey, and Sheila Cheese in Ocala, Florida. The Hill grandsons helped the family expand with the Holloway children, Kai, Cove and newest member Zev; while Zach and Erica added great-granddaughters Kenzie and Hadley.Kai and Cove entertained guests at the birthday party with original poetry.Two years after Rita's death, Walter fell in love for the second time, at the age of 93. He and his new love, Catherine Shutters, were married in October 2008. They attend Christ Evangelical Free Church in Lehighton.An Eagle Scout, possibly the oldest in Schuylkill County, Walter enjoys reading and playing chess. He played golf well into his 90s.When asked about getting married at the age of 93, Walter simply replied, "That's what you do when you fall in love."