Woman clutches wedding photo during 112th birthday party, sleeps next to it every night

FARGO, N.D. (KVLY/Gray News) – A woman celebrated her 112th birthday this week, becoming the second-oldest resident of North Dakota.

Helene Sandvig celebrated her big day with all her friends at Bethany Retirement Living in Fargo.

Sandvig grew up in Leonard, North Dakota, where she was a teacher.

She never had any children, but she spent many years with her husband Edwin. He died when she was 80, marking 32 years without him now.

During her birthday party this week, Sandvig clutched their wedding photo. She sleeps next to the photo every night.

Staff members at the retirement center remember the days when Sandvig was the biggest chatterbox.

“I was visiting with her last year on her birthday, and she said, ‘I think the car is still in the garage on the farm, I could still drive if I wanted to,’” remembers Grant Richardson, the retirement center’s community relations director.

And she did drive for quite a while. Sandvig drove until she was 103, when she moved into the retirement home.

Sadly, in the past year, staff members said her hearing has gone and cognitive decline has taken hold.

But Sandvig has deep faith and great friends that keep her going.

Jayne Robinson has been friends with Sandvig for 64 years – since 1959.

“We had a lot of fun together. We played the dominos. She would kind of cheat … She liked to cook all the time, and she’d bake cookies all the time. So, we really enjoyed all that time,” Robinson said.

Eunice Anderson has been friends with Sandvig for 90 years.

“She was an easy person to visit with,” Anderson said. “She was always telling some story or another.”

But things are different now.

“She just kind of looked at me as though she didn’t know me. That kind of hurt, but I know that she’s being cared for, and that’s the main thing,” Anderson said.

But friends and staff members know Sandvig has had a life well lived.

“You think back to what happened 112 years ago, that was before the first World War. You think about the things that have changed since she’s been around, and it’s pretty amazing,” Grant said.

Sandvig is officially the second-oldest person in North Dakota. The first is Clarabell Demers of Grafton, who is only 6 months older than Sandvig.

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