Legula Estiloz, who gained national attention last year for beating covid-19 at age 104, celebrated her 105th birthday with family and friends Jan. 20.

She is a resident at The Willows, a nursing and rehabilitation community in Oakmont operated by Presbyterian SeniorCare Network.

Estiloz’s secret to longevity and getting the most out of life: Her faith.

“I obey God. I get on my knees and pray and say, ‘What do you want me to do today?’” she said. “I’m not any better than anybody else. I’m glad God has given me this happy, happy day. And if you obey God, you will be OK.”

“We are all brothers and sisters,” she continued. “I don’t care if you’re black, white, or green, we’re all God’s children.”

Estiloz was born Jan. 20, 1917, in her family home in the Greenfield section of Pittsburgh, also known as “The Run,” to George Francis Maxwell de Harwood and Legula “Minnie” Marinella. Her family also had a farm in Wexford, where she learned a lot about farm life. Her ethnic background is Spanish from Spain, Native American Cherokee and African-American. She’s a real “American stew,” as she likes to say.

She attended Greenfield Elementary School and graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School. She was an “A” student and played the violin with her brother, Albert, in the high school orchestras and the Pittsburgh City-Wide High School Orchestra at Carnegie Music Hall. She also gave individual violin recitals and duet recitals with Albert in the Pittsburgh area as a young adult.

After graduating with honors from Taylor Allderdice High School, she attended the University of Pittsburgh for two years before getting married in 1943.

Estiloz has three children — Donna Hernandez, Mary Velazquez and Timothy Estiloz — six grandchildren and four great- grandchildren, as well as several nieces and a nephew.

While a widowed mother, she returned at the age of 45 to nursing school and worked as an OB-GYN nurse for many years outside Philadelphia.

She was president of her children’s PTA for a number of years and recognized citywide for her educational, social and religious work in Philadelphia. One of her great accomplishments was organizing and running for many years a city and suburban-wide food and clothing shelter in North Philadelphia’s Hispanic neighborhood for the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Estiloz is a talented artist, writer of poetry and prose and an accomplished speaker.

She has been a resident at The Willows since January 2021. She had another stay at The Willows in 2020 for short-term rehabilitation.

“She has the remarkable distinction of being the longest-living resident we’ve had the pleasure of caring for here at The Willows,” according to Jerry Radaker, administrator at The Willows. “She has a great spirit. She serenaded Santa when he was here just to make sure she was on his ‘nice list.’”

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