Swormville auxiliary celebrates century mark with old friend
by BETH HUTCHINSON Bee Copy Editor

Charlotte "Lottie" Christman, a 59-year member of the Swormville Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, is shown celebrating her 100th birthday. Christman is a Swormville native and lived on Stahley Road for 70 years.

Charlotte "Lottie" Christman has been a member of the Swormville Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary for 59 years and its president numerous times. That means other members of the auxiliary wanted to help their friend celebrate her 100th birthday - even if it meant a trip to Westfield.

Christman, who lived on Stahley Road until 2004 and then for a short time with son Dan in Clymer, N.Y., is now a resident of Absolut Care of Westfield, according to auxiliary member Harriet Herberger, one of 13 women who made the trip.

Herberger said the group rented a bus for the Sept. 26 trip, brought along a birthday cake for Christman and had lunch with her.

"She was so pleased and happy that we came to celebrate her birthday," said Herberger, who noted that Christman does not see or hear very well but still walks around and remains mentally alert.

"She kept us in stitches because she still has all her wits about her," said Herberger.

According to Herberger, Christman remained quite active until she was past 90, even trimming trees until five or six years ago. In addition to her service in the auxiliary, Christman was also a member of the St Ann Society at St. Mary's Church.

Herberger said Christman was born in Swormville and attended St. Mary's School. She lived in Buffalo a short time, where she met her husband, Walter, They married in 1932 and moved to Stahley Road, where Christman remained until the move to Clymer. According to Herberger, the Christmans were married 60 years until Walter's death in 1992. She said Lottie Christman worked for the National Camper and Hiker Association and the Addressograph Company.

Herberger said Christman reached the century mark on Sept. 24 and also celebrated her special birthday two days earlier with family and friends at a hotel in Fredonia. She said 65 people attended that affair.

In addition to the son in Clymer, Christman has a son, Tom, who lives in Florida, as well as three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The auxiliary members who made the trip also included Nancy Leising, Joan Matheis, Helen Lamm, Bertha Regnet, Dianne Veneski, Gerry Aquino, Dolores Spoth, Mary Ann Kurl, Dolores Shimo, Florence Herberger, Virginia Reich and Mary Alice Jennings.