She's such a little lady, but full of pep, vim and vigor. “I myself set out 30 begonia plants this week. Gardening is my thing!”

It was 94-year-old Helen Warn of Owasco speaking, as I interviewed her for this column. She is a remarkable senior citizen! At 94, she is obviously still going strong. “I'm never bored with life,” says Helen.

Raising five children is one of her proudest accomplishments. “Janet, Lillie and Joseph were my own,” she said, “but Jeameau and Mildred were the foster children I took in, whom I later adopted. They became a real part of our family. All five children are grown now, and doing well.

Helen Warn grew up in Ithaca. In 1932 she moved to Auburn to study nursing at Auburn Memorial Hospital. That same year, she joined the Owasco Reformed Church, where Dick Blocher was the pastor. He was a big influence! Helen became very active in the church, teaching Sunday school and running the 4-H club as well. “I even taught the children to sew and crochet pot holders she said. ”Children need to be kept busy. Also I soon met and married Harry Warn -- no more nursing career after that!“

Thinking back to her long life, Helen Warn said, “I've never been bored. One of my pleasures has been doing counted cross-stitching.” She showed me two tightly stitched framed samplers. One said, “Footprints in the Sand;” the other, “One good turns gets most of the guilt!”

Helen enjoys her grandchildren, who are scattered all over the country. “There are seven grands, 21 great-grands and three great-great-grandchildren,” she tells you. “My granddaughter, Linda Pearson, is a flight attendant for American Airlines and flies world-wide -- Denmark, Spain, everywhere! The others retired from interesting careers.”

Obviously proud, Helen will tell you, “My kids wait on me hand and foot. They take me everywhere, since I turned in my car.”

Regarding her driving, Helen told me a secret. “I was the first woman driver in Cortland County!” she said proudly.

“I believe in education, church and prayer,” says Helen. A very good philosophy which obviously produced a happy and successful life for Helen Warn.

Dorothy Nelson lives and writes in Auburn