Woodacre gained its newest centenarian last weekend: Ruth Jane Benz, born Oct. 28, 1923, in Porterville. She celebrated a century of life with friends and relatives at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on Saturday. A painter, musician and dedicated Warriors and 49ers fan, Ms. Benz has kept her sharp wit and spry form. From her New York Times Sunday crossword to strolls around town with her grandson, she shows no sign of slowing down. She told the Light she feels younger than ever. “I’m feeling very thankful,” she said. “It was just wonderful. It was the best birthday I’ve ever had.” Heather Janssen, Mr. Benz’s granddaughter-in-law, said it was a milestone to reach 100 and still be so engaged. “She is very sharp and independent, and she still lives in her home,” she said. “The celebration was so heartwarming for her. It was really meaningful to have people come and chat with her.” Ms. Benz was born the same year that Calvin Coolidge becamepresident and Babe Ruth was named M.V.P. for the New York Yankees. She grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, her father a dentist and her mother a teacher. Ms. Benz followed in her mother’s footsteps, eventually teaching at Lagunitas School in the early 1950s. After attending Chaffey Junior College in Southern California, she pursued a degree in sociology at Berkeley in the early ’40s. Later she was the first paid director for the Girl Scouts at Bothin Youth Center outside Fairfax. The work instilled in her a love for West Marin. A few years after marrying Robert Benz on Christmas of 1948, the couple moved from Kentfield to Wood-acre. She taught at Lagunitas School and spent several years teaching over the hill in Sleepy Hollow and Hidden Valley before retiring in the ’80s. A singer and multi-instrumentalist, Ms. Benz has performed locally at the Two Bird Café and Marin Joe’s, and she once sang the national anthem at a 49ers game with the Mayflower Chorus, her San Rafael singing group. In her retirement, she helped form West Marin Little League and became a recognized master at bridge. She reads voraciously and still does water fitness, and after years of helping sick and injured wildlife at WildCare, she nurses animals back to health from the comfort of her home. Ms. Benz said she is looking forward to watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up.