By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

 Helena Chapin never imagined she’d live to celebrate her 100^th birthday.

Though she will officially become a centenarian on Saturday, the Saco resident said she there is no secret to her longevity.

“I’ve tried to live a good life,” she said. “I’m lucky.”

Chapin will celebrate her 100^th birthday Saturday and will be recognized Sunday as the oldest member of Union Church in Biddeford Pool. Her birthday also will be celebrated with other residents of The Wardwell in Saco.

Union Church will recognize Chapin’s birthday at 10 a.m. Sunday with a special service officiated by her grandson, the Rev. Scott W. Cousineau; daughter-in-law the Rev. Renee Kauffmann; and daughter, the Rev. Janet Hryniewicz.

Dalia Cousineau, 12, will sing a solo for her great-grandmother. The service also will include special music by Michelle Currie, Anne Polak and Julia Handspicker. A reception will follow the service.

Chapin and her twin sister, Helen, were born March 12, 1911, in St. Johnsbury, Vt., to Robert and Ella Gordon. They moved to Chicopee, Mass., in 1917, where Chapin lived until 2002. Chapin worked at Fisk Tire Co. in Chicopee before marrying E. Warren Chapin in 1937.

Chapin said she met her husband, who was older, at church when she was a child.

“He said he waited for me to grow up,” she said.

The Chapins had two children, Janet and Gordon. Once the children were in school, Chapin went to work as a librarian in the Chicopee, Chicopee Falls and Willimansett branches of the Chicopee Public Library system.

“It was fun, but I liked to be home,” Chapin said of her career.

Chapin said her proudest achievement is raising her family. She now has eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Chapin was active in her church throughout her time in Massachusetts, sang in choirs and acted in comedy plays. During World War II, she was a civil defense worker and was charged with checking to make sure blackout curtains were shut each night.

Chapin moved to Maine in 2002 to be closer to her daughter. At age 91, she gave up both driving and living on her own.

“I never though I’d be living in Maine. After 82 years in Chicopee, I thought I was stuck,” Chapin said.

While Chapin said she has a hard time believing she reached her 100^th birthday, she spent much of her life surrounded by friends who also lived close to a century.     

Chapin and her twin sister were part of a group of eight childhood friends who faithfully got together each month as adults. Chapin is the last surviving member of the group; all of the friends lived to be older than 90.

“She’d always say ‘the eight of us are doing this, the eight of us are doing that,’” Hryniewicz said. “That’s extraordinary to have a group of eight friends who stayed together so long.”

Chapin said she enjoys living at The Wardwell and participating in activities offered to residents. She attends Union Church as often as possible. She said she doesn’t exercise and enjoys eating salty foods.

“I’ve lived this long without bothering with exercise,” she said. “I figure at my age I can have what I want.”