A Viking bearing gifts turns out to help mark a century

A Viking bearing gifts turns out to help mark a century


After Hazel Gustke's pastor greeted her with a quick peck on the head at her Jan. 11 birthday party, Hazel enjoyed herself while firing off some sly inquiries about his wife and whether photos would appear in the church bulletin.

Just two days shy of her 100th birthday, Hazel had no problem proving that her crafty sense of humor and gregarious personality would be unaffected by a triple-digit age.

It was clear at the gathering at Presbyterian Homes in Spring Park, that Hazel is a popular woman. The room was packed with her friends from Presbyterian Homes, friends from surrounding communities who took some time off on a Friday afternoon to wish her a happy birthday and relatives who traveled from around the country to celebrate with her. Whether she was cracking jokes, talking about growing up in West Virginia or sharing stories of white water rafting in Alaska when she was in her 80s or touring Egypt on a camel's back in her 90s, there was hardly a moment during the party that Hazel didn't have a captive audience.

Senior Pastor Kent Grosser of Trinity Lutheran Church in Long Lake, who earlier in the afternoon was the subject of her good-natured ribbing, spoke warmly of Hazel who became a member of the church about 20 years ago. He noted her previous work as a social worker and Sunday school teacher before moving to Minnesota to live with her daughter after Hazel's husband died.

“She has a real big heart,” Grosser said.

Since moving into Presbyterian Homes about 10 years ago, Hazel has clearly been making quite an impression with everyone there as well. As a surprise, the staff arranged for a representative of the Minnesota Vikings football team and their mascot, Viktor the Viking to attend the party. Hazel has been a big fan of the team since she moved to the state, she said.

The duo brought along two gifts from the team. The first was a jersey once worn by former Vikings player Chris Hovan and signed by members of the current team. Vikings Director of Communications Brad Madson said they chose that jersey since Hovan was number 99 and Hazel was not turning 100 until Jan. 13. The other present was a football signed by Vikings head coach Brad Childress.

Hazel was moved by the appearance of Madson and Viktor at her party and called it “a great surprise.”

However she still had her sense of humor intact. When she found out that Childress noted on the football that he is only about halfway to 100, Hazel did not spare the coach of her favorite team.

“You can tell him that I've got hair and he doesn't,” she told Madson.

Later while her family was chatting, her grandson remarked that the jersey was likely a collector's item.

“So am I,” Hazel replied.

[www.waconiapatriot.com]