Hilda Guedes wanted to spend her 96th birthday with friends and relatives, so she hosted her own birthday party at Bert's Steakhouse, Palmerton, on March 5. Bert's had been a favorite place where she and her husband enjoyed eating.

She lives alone at her Lehigh Street home with help from her children: Angelina, Jose Joao, Manuel, Rosa, Agostinho Jr. and Beny (deceased). A woman comes to the house to help three times a week.There are 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.She came from Portugal in April 1946 with her husband Agostinho and the first two children. The others were born in this country.In Portugal she worked until she was married when she stayed home as a homemaker, which she continued here. When she went to work it was at Scotty's Fashions and later Peter's textile factory.Agostinho was a boxer. She worried when he was at a fight, though she sometimes attended the bouts. For his first fight in this country he won $500.He was a heavyweight champion from 1942-1947 who was inducted into the Carbon County Hall of Fame.He worked at Bethlehem Steel while pursuing his boxing career.When he came down with Alzheimers in his 70s, Hilda took care of him and was always at his bedside. With the help of the children they were able to keep him at home. The family calls it "the worst defeat of a champion."Angelina's husband, Joao (John) Sequeira, says that when he came to this country in 1956 Agostinho was still well known in boxing circles.Hilda was known for her crocheting. She gave the items she made to her children and grandchildren. When she came to Palmerton she had to wash the kids in the kitchen sink until a bathroom could be added.Joao said when he came in 1956 his house also had no tub or shower.Angelina says Agostinho was "a very good father and husband and son."Hilda stresses that. "My kids had a very good father."She still enjoys cooking Portuguese foods. Angelina says she makes a lot of soups and bacalhau (cod fish).Although Portuguese enjoy wine with a meal Agostinho drank only milk during the time he was boxing.A grandson, who was visiting Italy, had Pope John Paul sign a commemoration for Hilda's 90th birthday.