The Kells are not permanent residents of LakeHouse. The couple, who have been married 78 years, have been staying in a suite at the facility for about six months since Lois had a heart attack. But the two intend to move back home to their house in Wells, where Roger and Lois have lived on their own for years.

Roger especially is anxious to get back to tackling tasks at home.

The 102-year-old will continue with “upkeep of the place. Stuff wears out and breaks down, and you gotta go from there,” he said. “Got the lawn to cut.”

He’s shockingly sharp and spry for 102.

This photograph of now-98-year-old Lois Kell was published in the Daily Press in July 1948. Seventy-eight years later, her husband, Roger, just turned 102. (Daily Press file)

Roger and Lois have already gone back to their house several times since they came to LakeHouse, “shoveling snow and cleaning windows and vacuuming the bedrooms,” Mary reported.

“He’s real active yet, so it’s hard for him (to sit in a retirement home),” Lois said. “Well, I was, too,” she added with a chuckle.

After they move back into their own home, “he’ll be able to go from the house to the garage and work on something, and then go from the garage to the house down the basement, and then … pick up something else. And he’ll be busy,” Lois said.

“He’ll be busy doing stuff — and cleaning,” daughter Mary agreed.

But Lois said they will have help. “And thank goodness we have Mary around… We’re thankful,” Lois said.

The vast majority of people don't get to see three digits on their birthday cake. (Courtesy photo)

Roger — born April 10, 1924 — grew up in Powers on a dairy and vegetable farm. He remembers traveling first by horse and buggy and then by early Ford models on dirt roads to bring produce from the farm to sell at market in Escanaba.

“We used to go to that city market, and so my relatives used to come through four or five o’clock in the morning, and they’d be lined up there,” Roger recalled. “Flath’s used to have that red wagon … One of the great things was to get an ice cream cone. I was with my parents, and they’d let me go to Flath’s ice cream parlor, which was a red wagon. It was five cents, and the ice cream cone had a flat top on it. I always remember that.”

Lois chimed in, “He likes ice cream to this day.”

Most of Roger’s career was made at the Escanaba power plant, but growing up, he worked as a farmhand, bookkeeper, and at the ore docks for a short time.

When Roger and Lois were dating, they liked to square dance, listen to bands and socialize at dance halls.

102-year-old Roger Kell claps during his birthday party last week. (Photo courtesy of LakeHouse Escanaba)

As the couple reflected on their dancing days of the past, Roger remarked, “Young people (today) don’t have that camaraderie.”

He was in the Merchant Marines and served in the military during World War II.

“World War II claimed the whole world. Everything changed,” Roger said. “People lost their sons and daughters. And if they didn’t get killed or shot or something, still, they were gone away from home, you know, the whole country.”

He explained that the World War II era seemed to mark the start of younger generations moving far from home.

But Roger appreciated his time in the service. He spoke about the months at sea after training in New York, punctuated by entertainment while on shore.

“People want to talk about sailing — I’m for it. I enjoyed it,” he said. “You can see the world! All over. I went 13 times across the Atlantic Ocean. And then go to different ports, and see different people … They’re mostly all like us.”

Living in the Upper Peninsula, Roger and Lois raised four children — Karen, Steve, Mike and Mary. Karen passed away about nine years ago; Steve and his wife, Ann, live in South Carolina; Mike and Debbie live in Iron River; and Mary is in Danforth.

Before retirement, Roger worked for about 30 years at the power plant. He said that while many of the guys employed there had no interest in additional training, Roger took every opportunity for professional development that came along. He recalled going to trainings in Iowa and Chicago.

When asked what piece of advice he might offer to young people today about living life to the fullest, Roger replied:

“Well, traveling is one of the things I advise. If they have a chance to travel, do it. Experience new things. It doesn’t come along all the time.”

Lois remarked that they’d gone together to Rome, Alaska, Arizona, Florida and more, but she wishes they’d seen more of Europe.

Lois’s 99th birthday is this summer.

“We passed our phases, like snowmobiling and golfing and cross-country skiing,” Roger said.

Lately, the two have been reading and playing euchre. But, as previously mentioned, Roger is really looking forward to getting back to working at his own house in Wells.

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R. R. Branstrom can be reached at rbranstrom@dailypress.net.