Mildred E. Assalita is celebrating her 90th birthday. She was born Sept. 25, 1923 near Andreas (Red Valley), to Calvin and Cora (Long) Koenig.

She had three brothers and five sisters. Her youngest sister, Dorothy, still lives in the area and they visit each other weekly.On March 7, 1942 she married Blase C. Assalita, who died Aug. 4, 2010. She still lives in the home they helped build following World War II in Tamaqua. She enjoys gardening, but not the weeds.She has two sons, Ron and his wife Carol of Abingdon, Md., and Larry, and his wife Pam, State College. She also has five grandchildren, Kristy, Tracy, Shala, Cara and Sydney; four great-grandchildren, Brandon, Erica, Johnny and Julian; and two great-great-grandchildren.She worked at the former Atlas Powder company for 13 years, but retired from John E. Morgan, Inc. in 1985, where she had worked for 16 years in the cafeteria.She remains an active member of Zions Stone Church in Snyders, where she was originally confirmed as a child.