Submitted photo Hazel Krause celebrates her 104th birthday today at Heritage Pointe in Marshall.

After more than a century, Hazel Krause is still young at heart.

She celebrates her 104th birthday today, surrounded by friends at the Heritage Pointe assisted living center in Marshall. She spent most of her life in Redwood County near Belview.

Hazel remains in good health. She uses assistive technology to communicate because of limited hearing and no longer walks, but still enjoys morning coffee and bingo games. She participates in arts and crafts activities, her favorite of which is flower arranging.

“She’s considered an active resident,” said Heritage Pointe Director of Community Life and Wellness Laurie Ourada. “She’s very active for her age. She takes an interest in our activities and in the people around her.”

Ourada and her assistant, Courtney Hedeen, both said Krause is a people person. She enjoys talking about family, her hometown, her faith and flowers.

“She still gives and receives hugs,” Hedeen said. “Hazel really likes people. She’s been people oriented all her life, and that’s continued in her old age.”

Krause grew up on a farm southeast of Belview, where she was the oldest of four children. Her grandfather, Peter Fossum, homesteaded 80 acres of land in 1882.

She attended country school, and enjoyed taking guitar lessons and sketching as she grew up. As a young adult she enjoyed going to movies and dances in nearby Redwood Falls, where she met her husband Everette Krause.

Hazel spent much of her life as a farmer’s wife. She was active in Grace Lutheran Church of Belview as a member of Ladies Aid and as a Sunday school teacher. She also served as an Avon lady for many years.

“Much of her life centered around the farm,” said Hazel’s daughter Faye Angrimson. “She grew up helping with it and then married a farmer. It was a way of life.”

The couple had four children. Faye lives in Taunton and visits Hazel about five times a week. Her brother Jerry lives in Bloomington and her brother Richard lives in California. Hazel’s third son, Kenneth, is deceased.

Hazel and Everette enjoyed camping later in life, and had a favorite camping spot in the St. Cloud area. Hazel was also an avid card player. In her older years she enjoyed playing for nickels at area casinos.

They moved into Belview in 1989. Hazel continued to live in Belview after Everette died in 2001 and later spent nine years living in the Twin Cities with a granddaughter.

She moved to Heritage Pointe in March. Angrimson said her mother is happy and content, and still enjoys good conversations.

“I enjoy spending time with her,” Angrimson said. “We talk about our family and things from the past. She’s definitely a blessing.”

Plans for the 104th birthday celebration included making a large bulletin board filled with photographs and memories.

Heritage Pointe staff put out requests for cards after Hazel said she wanted some, and were expecting a total of about 400 of them by today.

As part of an interview, Hazel said she still enjoys life and she’s happy to be living at Heritage Pointe.

“I like it here,” Hazel said. “I have good friends and neighbors. They’re really nice people.”