Mary Margaret Gogal DeSantis recently celebrated her 102nd birthday.

She was born Jan. 18, 1915, at home in Hauto. She is the daughter of the late Joseph Gogal and Ella Fignar Gogal. Her grandparents were Mary and Andrew Fignar.Her mother died in 1918 from the flu when Mary was just 3 years old, leaving behind five children, Joseph, John, Margaret, Mary and Agnes, who were between the ages of 2 and 8. Their aunt, Veronica Fignar, who lived in Lansford, took the children.Mary's father worked in the No. 6 Colliery in Lansford. About six months after her mother died, Josey married Mary Chismar Zolota, who had lost her husband at the same time from the flu of 1918. She had four children, Michael, Mary, John (Barney) and Andy. Together, Josey and Mary had two more children, Frank (Butchie) and Martha.Mary grew up in Hauto and went to school there until the eighth grade. She then went to Nesquehoning High School for ninth grade, and then stayed home to help her mother with the chores until she was 16, when she went to work at the Kiddie Clothes in Lansford.Mary married Philip John DeSantis of Nesquehoning on June 27, 1934, in St. Michael's Church in Lansford. The Rev. Lisisky and the Rev. Angellini performed the ceremony.Mary has three children, the late Rosemary Coniglio, Jeanne Valusek and Phyllis Kennedy.She has seven grandchildren, Robert Valusek, Kelly Haganey, Anthony Valusek, Philip Coniglio, Connie McLaughlin, Frank Kennedy and Thomas Kennedy.Her great-grandchildren are Alexandra and Robert John Valusek, Lindsey Rose, Michael and Jacob McLaughlin, Armani Rosemary, Jack and Nikolas Coniglio and Brianna Kennedy.