Doty siblings still going strong in their 90s, 100s
NEW EAGLE – There must be something special in the Doty family genes.
Of seven children, six lived into at least their 80s. Only Willy died young, in his 40s, due to complications from diabetes.
The three remaining siblings include Albert, 94, of New Eagle, Charlie, of Monongahela, who will turn 98 Aug. 8, and Mabel Doty Anctil, the oldest of the seven children, will celebrate her 102nd birthday June 27.
“Dad’s side of the family lived the longest,” said Mabel, who now lives in the John Lignelli Manor in New Eagle, a senior independent-living high-rise. “Dad lived to be 88, and his brother, Dan, lived to 100.”
Despite their advanced years, the three siblings are in relatively good health. All are mentally alert and display a good sense of humor. Two years ago, Mabel broke her hip, but gets around fairly well with the aid of a walker.
“My hip hurts once in a while, but I’m still active,” she said.
Albert said he’s in good shape and has no health issues, and Charlie claims to not have a pain in his body and still drives a car.
“When I went to the doctor last month, he asked me what I ate,” Charlie said. “When I told him Italian, he said he’s going to try that himself.”
The Doty patriarch, Joseph, was a coal miner, while the matriarch was a housekeeper who passed away at the age of 73, a young age for a Doty.
“It was nice growing up in a big family because we helped one another out,” Mabel said.
Charlie worked as a superintendent in the oil well department in the Allenport mill while his brother, Albert, worked for 40 1/2 years as an electrician for the railroad. For 30 years, Charlie and his wife, Thelma, were snowbirds who traveled south each winter to their second home in the Zephyr Hills, near Tampa, Florida, until Thelma died several years ago.
None of the three siblings claims to have touched alcohol, and only Albert smoked but quit 10 years ago at the age of 84.
Albert was a master sergeant who fought in Sicily, Italy and Africa during World War II. “I got to fight against Rommel and the Germans, and we beat them,” he said.
When asked to mention a highlight of his life, he said it wad meeting his wife, Gloria, who is originally from Charleroi. “I found my thrill on Charleroi hill,” he said.
Both of the Doty parents were of Italian descent, and all three siblings recall the delicious foods their mother, Susie, served at for dinner. It’s a tradition that been kept alive through the years. To this day, Albert’s favorite foods are Italian wedding soup and spaghetti made with sauce prepared by with his wife, Gloria Romito Doty.
For 28 years, Mabel worked at Angelo’s Restaurant in Monongahela, where her experience with Italian cuisine came in handy.
“Mom got me started working at an early age,” Mabel said. “She had me at the sink at 5 years old washing dishes. I worked hard all my life and keep busy to this day here at the high-rise. I play dominoes, make crafts and serve coffee and tea to two or three of the residents in my apartment every morning.”
Mabel recalls going to a lot of dances in her younger days, especially polka dances, and Charlie loved to ballroom dance to big band orchestras.
“Thelma and I flew to California to dance to Lawrence Welk’s band and also drove to Canada two or three times to dance to Guy Lombardo’s band,” Charlie said.
Albert remembers dancing at the Italian Club in Monessen, but his real forte is gardening. He still turns his garden with a shovel each year and plans to harvest lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and parsley from his garden this summer.
Because they live in close proximity to one another, the siblings manage to visit often., although holidays are usually spent with their children and grandchildren.
“One good thing is we always got along and never fight when we get together,” Charlie said.