Margaret Neifer turned 106 years old earlier this month.

The former Weston Elementary teacher, who was born in 1917, demurred from stating what contributed to her living so long.

“Some of the things I don’t think you’d want to hear,” Neifer said.

She finally settled on honesty – and staying away from drinking and smoking – as reasons.

“They get some pretty straight talk from me,” she said.

Daughter-in-law Cathi Neifer added the centenarian also stayed active and was very social.

A celebration was held for her on her birthday, Sept. 6.

“I thought it was the biggest blowout I had ever seen,” Neifer said. “I’ve never had anyone do that before.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever had that much attention. It was absolutely amazing.”

A parade with an estimated 20 vehicles started at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, where she has been an active member. It drove past Heritage Corner Health Care, where Neifer has lived for the past four years. Special appearances were made by the Bowling Green police and fire divisions. A picture was taken of Neifer flanked by Freddy and Frieda Falcon.

Nearly 50 people attended the birthday party, said Conner Galvin, activities director.

Mayor Mike Aspacher issued a proclamation, declaring Sept. 6 Margaret Neifer Day.

Neifer was born in Toledo and as a young child overcame measles, chicken pox, scarlet fever and frequent bouts of pneumonia.

She studied education at Bowling Green Normal College, now Bowling Green State University, before accepting a teaching position at Lime City School in 1937.

World War II was about to start.

“They needed teachers more than anyone else,” Neifer said.

Teaching paid well at the time, she said.

“The salary was adequate,” she said, adding she was paid $100 a week.

She continued teaching for 27 years and retired from Weston Elementary in 1977.

She said she was often called to substitute.

She married Carl Neifer in 1941 and the couple had two sons, Don and David. The family lived on a farm in Pemberville for many years before moving to Bowling Green in 1968.

Neifer has three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Carl and Don passed away, in 1998 and 2021, respectively.

“I have a lot of friends visit me, and I’m grateful for that,” she said.

Neifer has seen the invention of “talkies” in the movies, the transistor radio, and the television.

“We had a TV as soon as they (were made) public,” she said.

She said she misses a lot of things, including close friends.

She said she did learn a few things along the way and would do several things differently.

“Nothing extreme,” she said.

Neifer, who uses a wheelchair, has a steady stream of visitors, Galvin said.

Asked how it felt to live to be 106, she responded, “I never even thought of living to 100.”

She had simple advice for anyone wanting to live as long as she has.

“Just be dumb and happy,” she said.