Love, Service & Longevity: A Buffalo County Centenarian Reflects on Life at 100
Author: Shannon Johnson, Media Specialist
Community Spotlight Series
At TrueWellness, we believe that health is shaped not only by the choices we make, but by the people, places, and communities that inspire us every single day. Through our blog, we'll be sharing stories from across Northwest Wisconsin that highlight individuals, organizations, programs and initiatives that are helping create healthier, more connected communities.
You'll hear from members of the TrueWellness team, including Media Specialist Shannon Johnson, who will spotlight local community stories and remarkable individuals. We're beginning with a special series featuring centenarians in Northwest Wisconsin. These are people who have lived a century of life and carry with them a wealth of wisdom, resilience, and perspective in Northwest Wisconsin.
You'll also find practical wellness insights from our team, including lifestyle medicine, and simple ways to support your well-being in everyday life.
We hope these stories inform, inspire, and encourage you to take that one small step toward TrueWellness.
Earl and Rita Hetrick pictured in November 2025.
Earl and Rita Hetrick dancing at a wedding.
“I was milking cows from the time I was little until I was 80 years old,” Earl Hetrick said proudly.
Earl was just seven years old when he began helping his father with chores on the family farm. The year was 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression. His family valued hard work. It was a way of life.
Fast forward 93 years. Earl, now a centenarian, holds his values close, still living on his family farm in Nelson, a historic, wildlife-rich village of about 300 residents.
“I never expected to reach 100,” said Earl. “I had a lot of surgeries through my lifetime.”
From horse-drawn to horsepower, 100 years of living can capture more than another candle on a birthday cake. Earl was a witness to change: the evolution of farm equipment, a phone without a connecting cord, and tweed suits to today’s hottest fashion trends.
Earl and Rita Hetrick on their wedding day on June 14, 1949.
“You must’ve seen so much change in your life,” I asked. His response was fitting: a laugh, as if he'd witnessed several lifetimes.
However, it wasn’t hard work alone that aided Earl to withstand the test of time. It was family, faith, and a once-in-a-lifetime love.
“I asked her to dance,” said Earl.
He’s talking about his loving wife, Rita. Whom might I add, is 96 years old. Their meet-cute was a high school dance. The two have been married for 77 years and raised seven children. Their anniversary, June 14, 1949.
“What does it mean to have your partner with you for that long?” I asked. Earl put it simply, “It’s everything as far as I’m concerned.”
Earl and Rita volunteering at the Buffalo County food pantry around Earl’s 100th birthday in November 2025.
Their secret to a lifelong love?
“We’ve always had a deep faith in God,” said Rita. “A family that prays together stays together.”
“We’ve always been really true to each other,” Earl added.
Today, the two remain active, gardening together, and serving their Buffalo County community.
“About 30 years ago, I was asked to volunteer at the Buffalo County Food [Pantry],” said Rita. “And so, I started doing that. Gradually, Earl started too.”
It goes far beyond that, though. Earl Hetrick, a name that left a mark on the school board, local lion’s club and village board. What’s even more impressive is you can find the two volunteering, even today.
Now, the lingering question. How does one reach 100 years old?
Earl had a few suggestions.
“Stay busy. You have to keep your body and mind in shape,” — Earl
Not to mention, he never smoked or drank heavily.
Over the course of a century, Earl has witnessed a world transformed in countless ways. Yet the values that anchor him: faith, family, hard work and service, remain as relevant today as ever. From the fields of Buffalo County to the generations of family who carry his legacy forward, Earl and Rita’s story is a reminder that a life lived well is measured not just by years, but by our love for others and the legacy we leave behind.
Earl and Rita Hetrick celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary with their family in 2024.
The Hetricks' story is especially meaningful to TrueWellness Executive Director Natasha Ward, who proudly calls Earl and Rita her grandparents. "They are definitely an inspiration," said Ward, "and I think really embody a lot of what we see in Blue Zone centenarians."
Earl and Rita Hetrick with their granddaughter, our own Executive Director, Natasha Ward, in November 2025.
Earl and Rita Hetrick are proof of the power of living with purpose and deep social connections, two of the pillars of health and wellbeing. They truly embody TrueWellness.
As we launch our blog, we're honored to share the stories of individuals like Earl and Rita, whose lives remind us that family, faith, love and service can leave a lasting impact.
That’s Why We’re Here
TrueWellness exists to ask: How do we make it easier for more people to live like Earl and Rita? How do we redesign our communities so that health, connection, purpose, and belonging become the default for everyone — not the exception for a lucky few?
That’s the work. That’s why we’re documenting stories like theirs.
The Pillars of Earl’s Life
Real Work: Milking cows from childhood until the age of 80. That’s a lifetime of natural movement and purpose.
Deep Partnership: Married to Rita for 77 years. Not just a relationship — a commitment.
Community Roots: Never left Buffalo County. They belonged somewhere.
Staying Busy: Earl’s own advice: “Stay busy. You have to keep your body and mind in shape.” Not through exercise programs — through living.
Faith: “We’ve always had a deep faith in God,” and Rita. Meaning. Purpose. Something bigger than themselves.
Here’s the critical part: Earl didn't achieve these things only through personal effort. He achieved them because he lived in an environment where they were the default, not the exception, and healthy habits were ingrained in his lifestyle.
