Santa Barbara resident celebrates 103rd birthday and shares words of wisdom

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - When asking birthday girl Harriette Azlein "Any piece of advice you'd like to give the viewers who are watching your story?" She responded "Be nice to the old people, they're not that old!" as she laughed.

It's not everyday you meet someone celebrating their 103rd birthday, in Santa Barbara County, especially someone as strong and special as Santa Barbara resident Harriette Azlein. 

You may be wondering, "Harriette what is the secret to living a successful and fulfilling life?" to which she responds. 

"I would say, staying connected with people and helping not just yourself, but other people feel good because they know you. and I always wanted to be useful and helpful and and I that's the pleasure I got out of life, is being in somebody's life in an important way during," said Azlein.

During World War II she worked at the national guard armory across from Santa Barbara High School. once a riveter, and modeling feminism. The Independent even once calling her "Santa Barbara's Very Own Rosie The Riveter."

“And my mother said, 'oh no, you're not going to do that.' So I said, 'okay, well, I'll go to the defense plant.' So I was there for several months, and it was very dangerous and scary and exciting, but it looking back on it now, is it? It was quite a chance to take for women. Armory in Santa Barbara was full of ladies that were helping in the war effort, and it was very exciting."

She shared this piece of advice for women.

“Keep your goal in mind and I don’t know, just do what your mother told you to do when you were young.”