A memorable moment Englishtown family celebrates mom's 100th birthday BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer Johanna Zwarun ENGLISHTOWN - Friends and family members gathered recently to celebrate the 100 years of life experienced by Johanna Zwarun. Zwarun turned 100 on June 23, and a party was held in her honor at the home of her daughter, Judy, and son-in-law, Englishtown Borough Council-man Harry Soden. The occasion brought at least 20 of Johanna's family members to the Soden home on Harrison Avenue to celebrate Johanna's special day. Local businesses contributed to the event. Judy said ShopRite of Freehold Township donated a beautiful sheet cake, Fresh Petals florist of Englishtown provided a lovely bouquet of flowers and Especially For You florist of Freehold Borough provided a beautiful corsage of pink roses. In an interview with the centenarian, Johanna said she came to America from Austria when she was 14. Her parents preceded her to the United States, settling in the Linden area. For the final six years that Johanna was in Austria she lived with a friend of her mother. Both in Austria and the United States, Johanna worked as a domestic and as a seamstress. Her schooling ended once she came to the United States because she had to work to help run the family household. She met and married her first husband, Theodore Miller, when she was 19. The marriage lasted just a few years, but the couple had a daughter, Madeline, now deceased. Although not quite so apparent these days, Johanna, according to her daughter, had a tough streak in her earlier years which may well have contributed to her being here to participate in an interview to discuss her 100th birthday. According to Judy, Johanna remarried in 1939 to Judy's father, John. Judy was born to the couple in 1940. John and Johanna moved from Linden to Englishtown in 1950, settling in an apartment until they purchased their own home in English-town in 1954. "We had to move to the country for John's health," Johanna explained, adding that her husband suffered from nose cancer. Johanna continued to do domestic work while living in Englishtown and also worked in a sewing factory in Freehold. She also spent some time working as a kitchen aide for the Manalapan-English-town Regional School District. Judy said her mom and dad moved to Florida in 1967, where they purchased a mobile home. The couple lived there until John passed away five years ago. "She would come up here and spend summers with us and her grandchildren," Judy said. Johanna said she liked Florida because it "was always warmer, not like the winters here." She said she enjoyed living in the mobile home development where she and John had friends and would get together for cards and games. Johanna still pretty much takes care of her own daily needs these days. She walks around with a walker outside and dusts a bit here and there. She also has a hearty appetite, according to Harry, who said she loves corn on the cob, fried chicken, rice pudding and fruits. On the bar in the kitchen sits a white bowl that Harry calls "her bowl." The white basket is filled with healthy snacks such as crackers, fruits and ready-to-eat foods that Johanna enjoys. Johanna enjoys watching reruns of "The Lawrence Welk Show" on Saturday nights. She also likes to watch "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune," and her favorite soap opera, "General Hospital." She also enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Things Johanna remembers fondly? Living on the farm in Austria, picking potatoes, cherries and grapes. She also said she remembers people being a "great deal nicer" in years gone by.