At 107, Clark's Hazel Ness still enjoys cooking traditional Norwegian foods
More than a century into life, Hazel Ness still enjoys preparing preparing and sharing Norwegian meals with those she lives with.
Ness, who resides in Clark, is 107 and has been honored as the oldest member of the South Dakota Health Care Association Century Club.
She continues to have an active life, sharing stories and making traditional Norwegian food for the staff and residents at Roetell Senior Housing, which she has called home for the past 13 years.
Ness was born on her family farm near Naples on May 17, 1915, to Andrew and Marie Christopherson. She recalls what it was like being a first-generation Norwegian immigrant in South Dakota.
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"My parents spoke both English and Norwegian at home. I grew up knowing how to speak both fluently. I still can speak Norwegian today," Ness said.
Food is culture, and that aspect of Norwegian life continues to play an important part in her life as she still makes lefse and lutefisk to share with others.
"Hazel helped the St. Paul Lutheran Church host its annual lutefisk dinner for many years," said Leslie Duffield, one of Ness's six grandchildren. "She helped make lefse in advance and cooked the lutefisk on the day of the event."
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The lutefisk dinner at the St. Paul in Clark was one of the largest of its kind, having sold 700 tickets one year. The church commonly sold 600 tickets and filled the entire basement with hungry guests.
The last dinner at St. Paul was in 2019. It was discontinued due to COVID-19. And with an aging congregation, the church decided to no longer organize the event. That piece of Norwegian culture in the area may be lost to time.
Ness actively preserved her family's heritage. She and her husband Clarence were involved with the Sons of Norway and Extension Homemakers.
Ness met her future husband when she was 15
Ness met Clarence when she was 15. He had grown up near her family's farm and would often help during harvest season. Despite the couple not attending school together, they still managed to find time together and fall in love.
"Clarence didn't live too far away. I saw him every day," Ness said.
The couple married on Feb. 2, 1934, and spent their lives traveling the world and raising their two children, Clayton and Dianne.
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"We went traveling quite a bit," Ness said. "I have gone to Norway twice to visit my family. It's really pretty there, and we visited lots of cities and many members of my family. And I had no problem with communicating as I could speak Norwegian. It was a great trip."
Being 107 means Ness has witnessed some of the most turbulent times in American history, including World War II and the Dirty Thirties.
"The Dirty Thirties were pretty tough," she said. "We had to cover the windows so the dirt didn't blow in. It was awfully dry. Food had to be rationed. You didn't get much, and what you did get, you had to share it."
Washing machine, electricity top Ness's list of innovations
Witnessing a century of technological advancements, the greatest innovations, according to Ness, have been the washing machine and electricity.
Despite the technological advances and the resulting ease in access to resources, Ness knows the value of being resourceful and mindful of waste.
"Don't waste food. Take care of what you got. If you take care of it, things can last for many, many years," she said.
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Gardening, preserving food, cooking and sewing all played roles in her early life. They are skillsets she passed down to her children. But perhaps one of her favorite skills was quilting, and she said she has created several quilts for family and friends throughout the years.
A hot cup of coffee starts every day
Ness is content with starting each morning with a hot cup of coffee and a lifetime of memories.
The South Dakota Health Care Association created the Century Club to recognize South Dakotans 100 or older for their longevity and contributions to the state. More than 1,300 people have been inducted into the club since its founding in 1997.
There are no dues for the Century Club, and each inductee receives a certificate and membership card. To submit names for the club, visit www.sdhca.org and download an application or call LuAnn Severson at 1-800-952-3052.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: At 107, Hazel Ness is named the Century Club oldest member in SD
