In her 100 years, Jane B. Kelly has lived through a great depression, a world war, and a pandemic. She has relocated, raised five children, been widowed, and worked well past retirement.

Through it all, her faith has been constant.

“I pray every single day, all day,” said the parishioner of St. Monica Church in Barre, who attends daily Mass as often as she can get a ride.

Born on the family farm near Lowville, New York, on April 20, 1923, she celebrated her 100th birthday at St. Monica’s in April with a reception after a Sunday Mass.

The third of four daughters, she attended a one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade then graduated in 1941 from high school at Lowville Academy.

She worked in the office of a thermometer factory then as a telephone company operator and supervisor.

She met her husband, Tom, who had served in World War II, in a night club. She liked to dance, and “was a good dancer, so I was told,” she said.

They married in 1951 and had five children. In the mid 1960s he got a sales job with territory in Vermont, and they moved to Barre, where at first she was a stay-at-home mother then worked as a clerk in a clothing store and in data entry and as a receptionist at a life insurance company. She has been a widow for 46 years.

She now lives quietly on a residential street in Barre, taking care of her home, reading, cooking, saying the rosary, watching a television Mass, and praying.

An independent woman with a humble faith, Kelly puts her trust in God. “I know God is in charge. Some people don’t believe that, probably, but I do. I believe he will take care of me, and I will be all right. I will end up in heaven when I die.”

A member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, she enjoys Sunday and daily Mass because, she said, “I want to be with Jesus.”

She credited her faith with helping her get through difficult times: “I knew God was listening (to my prayers).”

In addition to relying on faith, she said taking care of one’s self is important to longevity. She used to enjoy taking walks, but now relies on a cane to help with her balance so has relinquished that activity.

She puts her trust in God: “He is in charge, so He knows better than me