Lifelong McKenzie County woman celebrates 103rd birthday with grand marshal in homecoming parade

WATFORD CITY, ND. (KFYR) – Homecoming is a long-standing tradition in many communities.

Watford City’s annual celebration includes a homecoming parade.

For the one-year McKenzie County resident, this year’s homecoming parade was a little extra special.

If Olga Hovet could only use one word to describe what she felt while taking these photos, it would be “exciting.”

“It was exciting,” Howet said.

Howet has been chosen as the grand marshal in Watford City High School’s homecoming parade.

“I just thought it was exciting,” he said.

Howet was chosen because he is the oldest graduate of Watford City High School. He graduated from school 86 years ago.

“In 1936. I was 16 years old,” Hovet recalled.

On the day of the parade, Hovet celebrated his 103rd birthday.

Students from the school she attended came to the house of the good shepherd, where Hovet lives, to sing to the birthday girl.

Hovet laughed and said: “I am an old woman.”

From the birthday song to photos with homecoming royalty to riding in a convertible at the front of the parade, Howet felt like a princess on this day.

“She just glowed. She glowed the whole time. She rocked like a queen. She ate it up. She was beautiful and radiant, it brought tears to your eyes because you could see how much joy it brought her,” said Christine Rohn, director of activities at Home Shepherd Good.

One of his sons drove Howet in the parade. It was a memorable trip for both of them. All six of his sons played football in high school, and Howet has fond memories of cheering for the Wolves.

“Every weekend, we went to at least one game,” she recalled.

Like Howet, football games and homecoming parades have stood the test of time. Both are still important traditions at Watford City.

“Traditions are really important, not only to our school, but to our entire city,” said Amy Polivka, student council advisor at Watford City High School.

And despite the age difference of more than 80 years, this year’s senior class now feels a special connection to those who came before them. And as Howet says, it’s all very exciting.

Howet has lived in McKenzie County all his life. He grew up on a farm about 15 miles from Watford City.

He attended a country school for a few years, but when he went to school in Watford City, he had to move to the city for the school year because transport was limited to horses, wagons and carts, and it took a long time to travel 15 miles. was needed.

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