Caroline Emplit of Ridley is turning 100 on April 17 and has spent much of her life, before and after retirement, in service to children, writes Peg DeGrassa for the Daily Times.

Emplit served a 50-year career as a librarian at Amosland Elementary School before retiring at age 96 from the Ridley School District.

Since then, she has taken up sewing whimsical pillow cases for the patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as other area hospitals.

She estimates that she’s made 2,000 pillow cases for the nonprofit Case For Smiles.

Emplit was born in Claymont, Del., in 1921 and grew up in Eddystone. She attended Eddystone High School.  

She has three children, seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. She has three children, seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

She lost her husband, Henry, in 1975.

Emplit is being treated to a special birthday dinner this month by her children and their spouses. Everyone’s been vaccinated.

Read more in the Daily Times about Caroline Emplit.