La Rue Smith, a resident of The Village at Palmerton, recently celebrated her 98th birthday. She was born on Oct. 17, 1914.

The daughter of Frank and Rista Strohl, she was born in Aquashicola on her parents' farm, like everyone else at that time. Her mom and dad instilled in her the appreciation of a hard day's work. They had a "truck patch" garden and grew all their own foods.They raised chickens and pigs and even had a cow for milking. LaRue says that she had to take turns with her sister Pauline milking the cow twice a day.When she was 22, she married Albert Smith."He was a good husband," she says with a smile. He worked for the New Jersey Zinc Company, and on Saturdays, ran his own auctioneer business. They would travel to someone's farm and proceed to auction off whatever the people wanted to sell.They had a great time together raising their three children, Romaine, Delmer and Jean.LaRue enjoys walking; as well as chatting with friends and going out to dinner with her family.