Highly-Loved Onondaga Center Resident Turns 101

by Jeff Jacomowitz

According to her family and all of her friends, Onondaga Center resident Jane Axtmann of Syracuse loves to help others. It's no wonder that the 101 year-old didn't mind driving people to their doctor's appointments until she was 92 years-old. Born on March 24, 1917 in Syracuse, Jane celebrated her 101st birthday on Saturday with many of her family in attendance at the Center on East Avenue in Minoa. Jane's positive sense of humor kept the celebration going, even after the birthday cake was presented. Clearly, 101 is just a number while her outlook on life is at least half her age.

These days, Jane has four grandchildren (three granddaughters and one grandson), plus five great-grandchildren (three great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters). They lived in Phoenix, NY, for a short-time and later made their permanent home in Liverpool, NY, where Jane lived until she was 96 years old. Jane’s interests include playing bridge, bingo, reading, attending church and taking part in many church functions along with her family and friends. During the warmer months, Jane loves to sit in the sun with her vintage sun hat and sunglasses.

"Jane is someone who simply loves life," said Amy Gannon, Recreation Director of Onondaga Center. "This is why she never minded going out of her way just to help someone, like driving them to appointments when she was doing that up until a few years ago. We should all have such a big heart."

Jane Axtmann comes from a solid Central New York loving family, having three brothers and Jane being the second youngest in the family. Her dad worked at one of Central New York's major chemical companies, the Solvay Process Company, for 40 years and her mom was a homemaker. After Jane graduated from high school, she attended the Syracuse Secretarial School and after which she got a job at Traveler’s Insurance Company, working on the 7th floor of the State Tower building in downtown Syracuse for seven years. It was only this brief period that she worked, later becoming a homemaker and mother.

Jane met her husband, Willard, a friend of one of her brothers, who introduced them while they were in college. Willard, known as “Bill”, joined the Army and then was sent to Japan during World War II. Once his time was completed, he came back home, married Jane and they became proud parents of two sons, Richard and Robert.

"I just love living life," said Jane. "So I have no secret on how to live to over 100 years old, I just live each day to the fullest."