Anna “Viola” Mitchell Bleazard is about to make the transition to be a centenarian, a person who has attained the age of 100 years or older.

She'll make that journey in her typical Bleazard style, via her wheelchair, with her flower-covered book bag that she made in Relief Society with a book inside hanging on the back of it. She will attend classes held daily at Uintah Basin Rehabilitation and Senior Villa in Roosevelt.

At 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Bleazard and the rest of the Villa residents and staff will gather in the dining room and celebrate all the March birthdays. There will be cake, ice cream and presents.

However, Villa activities director Jill Hartman said this year there will be something extra on the cake.

“Each month we have one birthday party to celebrate all the month's birthdays, but because it's Viola's birthday, the cake will say 100,” Hartman said. “We're going to make a big deal.”

Viola Bleazard said she feels more like she's 40-years-old instead of 100. “It's not been too long ago, I rode a horse. I like to crochet. I used to do a lot of crocheting and I still do a little. I like to eat and sleep, but I don't like to sleep in the day, just at night.”

Bleazard was born in Peoa, Utah, a descendant of Swedish immigrants. She is the last living child of her parents, Amelia Roseland Mitchell and Earnest Jerome Mitchell. She is one of seven children, only four of her siblings lived to adulthood.

In 1927 after Bleazard graduated from high school in Park City she went to Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake and completed a four-year nursing program.

“My husband and I kind of grew up together, then I went away to school and we lost track of each other,” Bleazard said. “Then when I returned, it just all came back. I remember our first date. Jack came over on the horse and we went horseback riding.”

When asked if Jack was her “knight in shining armor” Bleazard said, “No, that horse was our transportation. We rode horses everywhere. He rode the back and I rode in the saddle. At least we had that.”

Bleazard recalled the couple's first vehicle as being an old truck Jack had bought from the neighbor.

“We went around in that for quite awhile,” Bleazard said. “Then we bought a second-hand touring car, that lasted quite awhile. Then we bought a brand new touring car. Before long we were going together, enjoying each other and decided to get married.”

On Bleazard's 24th birthday, March 12, 1934, they had planned to marry, but an earthquake forced the closure of the Salt Lake City Court House that day. They returned on the 13th and Viola became the wife of Stephen Jack Bleazard.

“I remember standing at the counter and them taking down all the questions that they needed to ask,” Bleazard said. “Then I think we just went in the other room and got married. We went to the (Salt Lake LDS)Temple later.”

The Bleazards started their new lives in Mountain Home, and Viola stopped working as a nurse in order to raise their four children: Lois (Rogers), Carol (Hanberg), Janice (Steinhorst), and Michael.

“Dad was a rancher in Mountain Home and that's where she raised us. She devoted her life to my dad,” daughter Carol Hanberg said. Daddy died in '98. They were married 64 years.”

Viola's favorite memories are those centered around the birth of her children, raising her family and being a wife. She also has fond memories of her parents and also her in-laws who lived nearby.

At age 55, after Bleazard had raised her children, she returned to nursing and worked for approximately 10 years.

“I loved nursing,” Bleazard said. “I lived in Mountain Home and that was about 20 miles from the hospital. Sometimes I'd work nights and sometimes I'd work days. I enjoyed it very, very much … being with the people and helping them.”

Bleazard has not rethought her retirement, but she still remains a student of life. Throughout the years she's worked as a Relief Society President, as a secretary for the Stake Relief Society and many years as a primary teacher.

Her faithful Villa activity attendance and passion for books are good indicators that she still enjoys learning. She's a favorite among her peers and has found a best friend at the Villa: Oral Fenn.

“They are so sweet,” Hartman said. “They do everything together. They look after each other. If Viola comes out in the morning, she'll look down the hall for Oral and sit and wait at her door until Oral comes down. If Oral comes up, she'll position her chair in front of Viola's room to make sure that someone has gotten her ready and brings her out.”

Bleazard has 28 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren and 45 great-great grandchildren.

She credits “having fun with good friends and family” as one of her secrets to long life.

“Also a lot of exercise,” Bleazard said. “I had a lot of that because I lived on a farm. Of course your family is one of the things that really makes your happiness.”

“You hear people say, 'I don't want to live to be that old.' If you could have Viola's outlook on life you wouldn't mind,” Hartman said. “She's always happy. She never misses an opportunity to have a friend. She never misses an opportunity to go do something. She's just happy to be here.”

On Monday Bleazard was honored with an award by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers for her long membership in the DUP.

“We're very proud of her,” Hanberg said. “I wish that we could keep her at home, but when she's there, she's got such good company. She doesn't like to miss out on anything, she likes to do it all. That is so good.”

Bleazard's family would like to invite family and friends to come celebrate their distinguished family member's 100th birthday celebration, also at the Villa, on Saturday, March 13 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.