Born 1912, woman celebrates 24th birthday
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers TURNING 24- Camarillo resident Ethel Mortell poses in her home on Tuesday with a copy of The New York Times from Feb. 29, 1912, the day she was born. Mortell is 96 years old, but because she was born in a leap year, she will celebrate her 24th birthday this year.

Ethel Mortell turns 24 years old today . . . and she remembers the end of World War I.

Mortell, who is actually 96, is celebrating only her 24th birthday because she was born on a leap day: Thurs., Feb. 29, 1912.

"Well, I do celebrate every year, just not on the same day," said the New York native, who normally commemorates her birthday on Feb. 28.

The family matriarch will have a birthday party at her Camarillo home on Saturday.

"It's a big deal," said her daughter, Harriet Klahn. "It's always a big to-do."

Mortell grew up in the Bronx and said she remembered the street celebrations marking the end of World War I.

She graduated high school at 16 and taught for two years. During the Great Depression she did clerical work in a bank, making $18 to $20 a week, living on one paycheck and saving the next.

"It was a great job for her, not just because it was a job during the Depression, but because they served free lunches," Klahn said.

Mortell also modeled for Coty Cosmetics- Klahn used to brag to her classmates that she had "the prettiest mother in school."

When Mortell moved to California in August 1960, she settled in the Valley and went back to school to study elementary education at San Fernando Valley State College, now California State University Northridge. She earned her master's degree from the same school and taught first grade at Roscoe Elementary School in Sun Valley for 11 years.

"I loved teaching," said Mortell, who retired when she was 62. She moved to Camarillo 31 years ago to live with her daughter and continued teaching, this time dance classes at the Goebel Senior Adult Center in Thousand Oaks, until she was 85. Her favorite dance style is swing.

Even though she's on dialysis three times a week, Mortell remains active by knitting, dominating the competition in Scrabble, completing crossword puzzles and playing card games such as Gin Rummy.

She even has an authentic copy of The New York Times from the day she was born. Some of the front page headlines in that edition, which cost 1 cent, include "Bogus $1 Bill Dupes Even Bank Tellers" and "The Baby Goes A-Sailing."

Mortell, who has six grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren, said that, because she was born on a leap year day, "It's always been a point of interest."

Klahn agrees that Mortell's birthday is a great reason to celebrate.

"Most people don't get it when I tell them my mom is turning 24," she said.