Kathryn Johnson, a resident of the Village at Palmerton, observed her 97th birthday on April 1.

Born in the Preachers Camp Area of Beltzville, she attended the Lovette School, which was a one-room school house."It was only a 3-4 mile walk from our home," Kathryn says.When asked how she met Albert, her future husband, Kathryn smiled."My, that was a long time ago, let me think. A few of my girlfriends and I were driving around the area of Kresgeville and one of them suggested we stop and watch the boys play baseball."After the game ended, some of the boys came over to introduce themselves, and that's how we met! He asked me to the square dance that next weekend."Albert and Kathryn were married in 1934 at the minister's house, of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Trachsville.Albert worked for the New Jersey Zinc Company and Kathryn stayed home to care for their family and home. They had a son, Robert, in 1935, and a few years later, in 1939, the twins came, Kathleen Ann and Kathryn Ann."Their names are very similar," Kathryn says, "but I didn't name them, Dr. Bachelor's wife Marjorie named my girls. I was very weak after they arrived and the doctor wasn't sure I would survive, so she named them for me."Funny how things work out. Later on when the children were grown, I worked at the Horse Head Inn as a cook, and when it was sold in the early 1970s, I went to cook and care for Dr. Bachelor. The doctor passed away in the early 1980s."Albert passed away in 2002. As for the children, Robert lives in New York, and the Kathryn and Kathleen are both in Florida.Kathryn is an active member of The Village at Palmerton, where she participates in group exercises, plays bingo and loves to do crafts.She also continues to do a bit of community service, as she is one of many senior citizens who stuff comfort bears for the Palmerton Hospital Auxiliary.