St. Charles woman celebrates 101 years

Margaret Pace of St. Charles got the surprise of her life recently when relatives threw a surprise party to celebrate her 101st birthday.

Among the 30 or so family members who attended the April 5 get-together at Portillo's in St. Charles was 3-year-old great-great granddaughter Emilia Matuz and granddaughter Dian Matuz, who both traveled from Muskegon, Mich.

Pace was born in 1907 and grew up on a farm north of Danville.

Before moving in with a granddaughter in St. Charles two years ago, she lived in Michigan.

One of her grandchildren, Tom Minnerick of Elgin, said while Pace needs a walker to get around these days, she is in good health overall.

She enjoys going out when it's nice and watching the birds and the flowers, he said.