ST. THOMAS - Though relatives say her birthday is not her favorite day of the year, newly turned centenarian Maria "Nina" Lugo had a great time Sunday celebrating her 100th year with a small gathering of friends and family at her home in Anna's Retreat.

Lugo was born Oct. 25, 1909, in Bani, Dominican Republic, to parents Maria de regla Mandez and Carlos Lugo Lugo. She lived in the Dominican Republic for most of her life, moving to St. Thomas at age 68 on Jan. 29, 1977, to be with her daughter, Vivian Ortiz. She remembers the excitement of the day she arrived on St. Thomas and met her grandson, Ramon L. Ortiz Jr., and her granddaughter, Vanessa L. Ortiz, for the first time. On St. Thomas, she helped raise her daughter Vivian's four children, including granddaughter Julissa Ortiz, who says her grandmother remarkably still walks around on her own, showers on her own and feeds herself.

A few weeks ago, says Julissa Ortiz, after a slip in her home that caused Lugo to hit her head, her family took her to the hospital where she was given an MRI and the doctors told her she has the brain of a teenager.

"She has a perfect mind; she remembers everything," said Ortiz.

Lugo was married to Ricardo Irizarry who passed away some time ago. She was a housewife, staying home to to raise her four children. She is now a grandmother of 13 and a great-grandmother of 19.

A devout Catholic, Lugo is a member of the Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Though she no longer travels to church on Sundays, the Rev. Janvier J. Sidjeur makes house calls to her home once or twice a month to give her communion and was even there to help celebrate the milestone birthday with her on Sunday.

Said Ortiz, "Nina is very grateful and appreciates all the people from St. Thomas who are all friendly and respectful to her."

-Β Contact reporter Genevieve Ryan at 774-8772 ext. 340 or e-mail gryan@dailynews.vi.