A century on one block

Batavian Pearl Hansford Barber has spent her entire life living on one street.

She spent her childhood living on North Van Buren and her adult life living on South Van Buren.

That's 100 years of living on the same street, and she wouldn't have had it any other way.

"We were always blessed with good friends and neighbors," she said.

Her childhood on North Van Buren was spent going to school and playing with the neighborhood kids.

"We'd play outside late into the evening, under the streetlights," she said. "We'd go home when our parents called us in."

She went to Louise White School and still remembers many of her classmates, especially Forrest "Forrie" Barber, who started kindergarten with her.

"He was always funny," she said. "He had a good sense of humor."

Surrounded by her class photos, Pearl Barber is quick to point out what girls were considered pretty and which ones were friendly.

"That's Phyllis," she said, pointing to a second grader bedecked with bows in her hair. "She was the prettiest girl in the class. That's me, it's a lousy picture."

Barber remembers ice being delivered for the family ice box in a big wagon.

"Kids would follow it and grab some of the ice chips to suck on," she said.

Her memories of school are dimmed but she does remember which teachers she liked in grade school and friendships in high school. Like many of the young people of her time, she and her friends would congregate at the popcorn stand.

It was during her high school years that Pearl Barber began to see Forrie Barber in a new light, but, with the depression came the trials and tribulations of keeping food on the table. There wasn't much time for dating.

"My father had a job during the depression, and my mother took in laundry and I did housekeeping," she said. "We all helped out."

She also worked as a nanny taking care of children of parents who needed to work.

Pearl and Forrie began dating in 1930 but it would be ten years before they would make the trip down the aisle.

She and Forrie enjoyed dancing at the Odd Fellows Hall and going to the Aragon Ballroom for special occasions.

"I didn't dance all that great but we sure had fun," she added with a twinkle in her eye.

The transition to married life wasn't as difficult as the move to South Van Buren.

"It was only a few blocks away but I had always lived on the north side. It seemed different." she said.

She settled into the new neighborhood and dedicated her life to her family and her church, the Church of the Brethren. She served as church secretary, taught Sunday school and worked with the ladies aid.

She and her husband raised two children, Mary (Williams) and Tom. In addition, she has two grandchildren, Scott and Jessica. She feels her life was filled with happiness.

"My husband was full of laughter," she said. "Just being with him and listening to him say funny things made me happy."

In 1968, Pearl went to work at Mooseheart as a secretary. She enjoyed working there because everyone cared about each other and helped one another. She retired in 1989 at the age of 80.

After Forrest passed away in 1983, Pearl began collecting angels. Her home is filled with them.

"My niece tried to count them for me but she stopped at 200," she added.

Family and friends always remained the most important part of her life, she said.

Scores of them came together this past summer to celebrate her new centenarian status. Included in the group was one man, Dick Oppfelt, who came from the state of Oregon to join the celebration. Pearl Barber had been his nanny.

"I remember the first day when I went to take care of him," she said. "He was about four years old and he sat on the front steps and refused to let me in."

Pearl Barber was surprised by the number of people who came to celebrate and the many cards that she received.

"I even got one from President Obama," she said.

Pearl Barber is proof that the richness of one's life isn't always measured by how much money one has or how far he has traveled. Living on the same street in the same town for 100 years, she touched many lives. Her life has been rich beyond measure.