Vegas-style 100th birthday for South Elgin woman

Kasmira "Kay" Karabin's 100th birthday celebration took up three days and culminated in a Las Vegas-styled extravaganza at her South Elgin assisted living community.

Her daughter, Carol Tomasi of St. Charles, threw her a surprise party Saturday, and the family feted her again in occasion of her great-great-grandchild's christening Sunday, she said.

On Monday, it was all glitter, singing and drag queens for the celebration at Heritage Woods of South Elgin, where Karabin has lived for about four years.

"I've had birthdays now for three days - you can imagine what I feel like," Karabin said with a big, cheery laugh. "I slept all right last night, but here I go again!"

Karabin used to go to Las Vegas often and especially loved slot machines and talking to new people, she said.

"I like people, that's what's wrong with me," she said, laughing again. "No matter who they are, I love them."

A native of the South Side of Chicago, Karabin was among women who worked in factories - airplanes, in her case - to help during World War II. She later worked for Pullman Car Company and Sherwin-Williams paint company. "I worked hard but I loved every bit of it," she said.

Karabin, whose husband died in 1989, is always fun and full of laughter, good friend Lynn Morrisey of Gilberts said. She also has four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

"She's just a joy to be around," Morrisey said.