ACME — Anna Labuda clearly remembers growing up as one of 15 children on her family’s 50-acre farm in Acme. They slept on straw-stuffed mattresses and lived in a log cabin — which meant they were always stuffing the gaps between logs to keep out the elements.

"We had a lot of snow on our pillows," she said with a laugh. "We had such bad winters then."

Labuda, a lifelong parishioner of St. Boniface Parish, Chestnut Ridge, celebrated her 102nd birthday Dec. 17, and family members and fellow parishioners are applauding her as a woman who always sees the beauty in life and models a life of gratefulness to God.

"If you gave her a stone, it would be the most beautiful stone in the world," said niece Ruth Prah, a parishioner of St. Cecilia Parish, Whitney. "She finds good in everything."

Labuda still lives in her own home — close to family — although she’s temporarily staying with her son, Paul Labuda, after a recent fall. She enjoys eating out, attending her great-grandchildren’s school activities and being a "social butterfly," Prah said.

Loved ones consider her the "best baker around," known for her homemade bread and pies.

In November, Labuda attended a Thanksgiving dinner at St. Raymond of the Mountains Parish, Donegal, where everyone sang "Happy Birthday."

Up until a couple of years ago, Labuda never missed Mass, Prah said. Now, parishioners Jim and Nancy Barlock take Communion to her home.

Labuda attributes her longevity to clean mountain air, hard work and God’s blessings.

She met her husband of 49 years, John Labuda, while walking to an "old-fashioned barn square dance." She lost her shoe in the mud, he found it, and love unfolded.

"I had a good marriage," Labuda said.

John, now deceased, and Anna have four children, 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Hard work started on the family farm. They grew crops and raised livestock, and Labuda cut hay, "pastured" cows, hoed long rows of corn and potatoes, made butter and cottage cheese, washed clothes on a washboard, and baked lots of bread.

She remembers taking wheat to be ground at the St. Vincent Gristmill in Latrobe, a 10-mile one-way trip that took all day.

"We had sleds, then horses," she said.

She faithfully walked to catechism at St. Boniface Parish every Saturday and Mass every Sunday.

During the Great Depression, hungry neighbors traveled to Labuda’s farm.

"Mom always had bread, and we had a lot of cabbage and potatoes to eat," she said.

Even while raising her own family, Labuda milked cows, made her own butter, grew a large garden, canned as many as 80 quarts of beans at a time and helped at her parish when she could.

Regardless of the situation, Prah said Labuda stays positive — even when she’s not feeling well.

How?

"We just live from day to day and (need to) pray every day that things get better," Labuda said.

She disclosed her baking secret as "a handful of this and a handful of that," and her most precious words of wisdom are be kind and considerate of one another.

She most values her "good life" and "wonderful family."

"I guess I have to thank that man up above for taking care of me," Labuda said.