New Port Richey Woman Celebrates 100 Years

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — It’s not every day that a person gets to celebrate 100 years of living. That’s why Margaret Sebald’s family and friends are pulling out all the stops to mark her milestone.

In honor of Margaret’s big day, a family party is being staged at Villas at Sunset Bay in New Port Richey on Thursday. The party theme? “Pretty in Pink,” of course, according to her granddaughter Jodie Diegel.

Margaret was born in Chicago back on Aug. 4, 1916. Her parents, Otto and Magdalena Langos, immigrated to America from Hungary in the late 1800s, Jodie said. Margaret was the couple’s youngest of seven children and the only one still alive.

Jodie said her grandmother was quite a mover and shaker in her younger years. She graduated from Chicago’s Alvernia High in 1932 and earned a music scholarship to DePaul University. The piano was her favorite instrument to play and she was even named a Rising Star at the 1933-34 World Exposition in Chicago. She was a featured pianist at the event, as well.

As fate would have it, Margaret met John Allen “Al” Sebald courtesy of her older brothers. The two married in 1934 and had three daughters. Margaret now has six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Al passed away in 1999.

“The family grew up hearing classical piano music as well as the organ, accordion and even the ukulele,” Jodie said. “(My grandmother) was such an accomplished pianist that she could not find a piano teacher that was better than she was! She was a huge fan of Liberace.”

To help make sure the party is one everyone to remember, Jodie said Tori the therapy dog plans to make a guest appearance, along with Amos the Wonder Horse. In recognition of that “pretty in pink” theme, staff, residents and Margaret all plan to dress in pink.

Jodie said most people don’t believe her grandmother is about to turn 100, “because she does not look 100 at all.”

From all of us at Patch, we hope you have a wonderful birthday, Margaret!

Do you have a great story to share? Let us know by emailing editor Sherri Lonon at Sherri.Lonon@patch.com.

Photos courtesy of Jodie Diegel