BUCYRUS – A special woman is celebrating a special birthday on Saturday.
Montie Ard, a longtime resident of Heartland of Bucyrus, will turn 104 on Feb. 27. And while her family and the staff at Heartland plan to go all out for the special occasion, Montie said simply, “That’s a long time. I don’t think too much about it.”
A long time indeed.
Montie, who grew up in the hills of Jabez, Kentucky, has survived the Spanish Flu and the Great Depression during her lifetime. She has battled blindness since 2006 – the effects of a rare eye disease – and, in May 2020, beat the odds by surviving COVID-19.
“She definitely came through some hard times and she survived the Depression,” said her grandson, Ken Prince of Bucyrus. “She cannot see daylight from dark and yet she never complains.”
Prince, who calls Montie every day, was actually raised by his grandmother after his mother, Jean Prince, died when he was only eight. Montie and her late husband, Ethard, had two other daughters – Barb Prince, who is also deceased, and Janice Cook of Nevada.
The Ards were married Aug. 29, 1935 in Monticello, Kentucky, and eventually moved to southern Ohio where they farmed. The family relocated to the Nevada area when he took a job at Walton Farms in Upper Sandusky, then at Schwan Rubber in Bucyrus.
In addition to raising the children, Montie worked at Kimmel Cleaners in Upper Sandusky and at the Rainbow Nursing Home in town. She became a second “Ma” to Prince when his mother passed away. Ethard also resided at Heartland until he died in 2008.
Prince and Cook always look in on Montie and had been regular visitors until the Coronavirus pandemic hit last year. They enjoy dropping off some of her favorite foods – two pieces of chicken from KFC and burgers, biscuits and gravy from McDonald’s in town.
The staff at Heartland though is cooking up a special meal for Montie’s birthday. Her door will be decorated with balloons and a poster signed by residents and staff. A sign outside the W. Mansfield St. care facility will read “Happy 104th Birthday, Montie.”
Because Montie, whose own mother lived to be 101, deserves a special celebration during these trying times. And maybe – just maybe – they will also sing “How Great Thou Art,” just because it’s her favorite song.