Anna Ribas, born in 1896, moved to Sunnyvale in 1917.
Anna Ribas, a Bayview Senior member and longtime Sunnyvale resident became the first female "Bayview Senior Centenarian" since the club's inception 22 years ago.
Born in Tesorills, near Madrid, in 1896, she left with her family for Maui when she was 18 to work in the sugar cane and pineapple agricultural industries. While there, she married Fernando Ariza.
With Ariza, she moved to Sunnyvale to work in the canneries. Children soon followed: sons Harold, Harry and Albert and daughter Christina.
After Fernando died in 1927, Anna met and married Lawrence Ribas, with whom she had a daughter, Elaine Marciers.
Anna dedicated her life to working and living in Sunnyvale, with a family of six children, 21 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren. She worked for 40 years at Libby's cannery, from 1917 to 1958. Her 50th wedding anniversary celebration with late husband Lawrence took place in 1974.
Presently, she is a member of Isabel La Catolica and the State of California Grandmothers Club.
Anna credits her long life to raising her family, housekeeping, a little gardening and devout belief in her faith and in God.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 11, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.