A controversy brews among residents of Springfield, Mo., but it’s none of their business really.

One of Eastern’s own, Jimmy Shonkwiler, the newly hired budget director, helps build the mystery – and he’s not squealing, at least not again.

To divulge his mother’s age would give away the secret to staying young, something many graduates seek.

His mother, Hazel Walsh, who has tended bar in a college town somewhere in the country for all of her adult life, celebrated her birthday Wednesday, but no one will ever know which one.

“A lady would never reply to that question and a gentleman would never ask,” she’d cattily retort if anyone ever got the nerve.

Shonkwiler said she doesn’t want to give her age because she’s nervous it would affect her business. More importantly, it keeps her young. She owns and manages the bar she tends and will open another May 5.

Walsh doesn’t act like your average 60, 70, or 80 something.

Ten years ago she was made an honorary fraternity member. The Southwest Missouri State chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi simply went nuts over Hazel.

Shonkwiler drew many lashings for giving his mother’s age to The Daily Eastern News. News editor John Chambers got the scoop. But Hazel’s hazing won’t come, lucky for her, no one reads the DEN there.

Fraternity members stay in the dark about her age and they likely wouldn’t care if Hazel had 100 years behind her.

“We had some members who came to the bar I ran all the time and they’d suggest drink recipes and we got along really well,” Walsh said Tuesday. “I go to almost all of their functions and so the ones who showed up at the bar called themselves the Hazelnut Club. I thought gosh, that’s a goofy name.”

Shonkwiler drove her to the fraternity induction ceremony.

“I walked her to the door, but that was it. I couldn’t go in,” Shonkwiler said. “She didn’t want me to crash the fraternity’s party. I had to wait outside.”

The Hazelnuts don’t fall too far from Walsh’s bar. They’re committed to helping Walsh’s charity, Hazel’s Kids, which provides Christmas gifts, school clothes, supplies and other items for underprivileged children living in local group homes.

Shonkwiler said his mother picked up the idea from his sister.

“When we were growing up she’d bring in all kinds of animals and ask if we could keep them,” Shonkwiler said. “One day she brought home her friend, who didn’t want to go back to the group home, and she kept her here for three weeks without mom knowing.”

Walsh said the more children she can hang around, the younger she feels. That includes crazy college kids.

The fountain of youth isn’t on tap at her bar, but the secret to staying young and advice she could pass on to any graduate is. A bartender, or mixologist – her preferred title – sells social life. She said staying social has always been the key – it’s more than mixing drinks.

“Staying social helps me stay young and that’s what everyone wants to be,” she said. “It’s just about being with people. I work a lot of home parties. I’m always invited to something.”

Hazel carries the life of the party. So how old is she?

Ageless.