Life today is ‘fast, fast, fast’ says resident celebrating 106th birthday

Augustine Victoria Ann Gretch has over a century’s worth of experience under her belt. Known as “Vicki” by her friends and family, Gretch was born on September 5 in 1909. She now resides at Tecumseh Place, where she previously moved from her home in Onsted.Gretch was born on Michigan Avenue in Detroit. She remembers having to climb big steps in order to get into her house, street cars zooming by, and that her father worked on the railroads. She vividly recalls picking wildflowers in the spring on her way home from school to give to her mother. Her parents, Frank and Pauline Masa, soon sent her to a Catholic institution after she completed her first few years of schooling. At the Catholic school, Gretch completed the eighth grade. It would be the last year of education she would receive. Soon after World War I, Gretch’s father decided to move the family to the country, where they worked on a farm. “There was too much friction in Detroit, with the soldiers coming home,” Gretch said. “Things were getting bad, so my father decided the best place to be was a farm.” After working on the farm, Gretch began a career at General Motors. A few years later in her twenties, she married John Gretch. She had four children named Eleanor, Mary Jean, Lillian and John.At Tecumseh Place, Gretch enjoys crocheting, watching TV, painting, reading, and singing. Her favorite foods include German sausage, sweets and doughnuts, and she loves watching the flowers grow in the spring, as she did as a child. A devout Catholic, Gretch prays before every meal and tells everyone she meets, “God bless you.” She says she’s glad to be turning 106, but insists there’s no hidden mystery to longevity. “There’s no secret to a long life,” Gretch stated. “Just happiness. Do what you want to do. Have fun, always be honest, and don’t lie.”Gretch encourages young people to be truthful and wholesome in order to have a happy lifestyle. “Learn how to be good,” Gretch said. “Prepare for your life while you’re going through school. Listen to good advice, and don’t throw it away.” Recalling the days of her youth, Gretch remembers previous eras as more simple, and laid-back. “The world now, it seems, everybody wants everything fast, fast, fast,” Gretch said. “The years of my life were slow.” Gretch does say there is a secret to long lasting relationships between family and friends, and being successful. “Listen to your husband,” she stated. “Listen to your parents, listen to your grandparents, especially listen to your grandmother. Be an honest person who does honest work. Listen to the old people. Then you’ll be right at the top.”