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Mostly Cloudy Hitting a milestone birthday
Mildred Weston marks 100 years
As resident, Mildred Weston, made her way downstairs to the dining room at the North Woodmere Bristal, residents, family, friends and employees gathered to surprise her and celebrate her 100th birthday on Dec. 8.
“She didn’t want anyone to make a big fuss about her birthday,” said Marilyn Catik, the director of Community Relations at the Bristal.
When Weston entered the dining room, her daughter, Ann Landsman and granddaughter, Debbie Nelson were on either side of her escorting her into the room. “It’s emotional,” Landsman said getting choked up. “I’m very happy for her.”
Weston greeted the guests and said, “It’s very nice to see all these lovely, homely faces. I want to thank everyone but I don’t know how… maybe I can do a tap dance.” Instead of a tap dance, Weston sung a Russian song about a little bird that she learned when she was about 3-years-old.
“You’re a wonderful lady, we all love you, so live another hundred years,” Celia Markowitz, a resident at the Bristal said after Weston finished her song.
She grew up in Richmond Hill, Queens moved to Brooklyn and then Florida before moving in with her daughter in Valley Stream prior to becoming a resident at the Bristal.
Weston was the head secretary to the president of a steamship company until her daughter was born. After the birth of her daughter, she was an administrative assistant at a psychiatric clinic and a library before retiring.
Executive Director at the Bristal, Brian Scheur, said Weston has great stories and is an inspiration to all who meet her. Patricia Banta, the vice president of Health Care Compliance at the Bristal added, “Everyone is very proud to have her here.”
Cake was served after Weston blew out her candles. She and her family also celebrated her birthday with a family brunch last weekend with her daughter, son-in-law, three grandchildren, their spouses and five great-grandchildren.
“This is really wonderful,” Weston said while eating her cake. “You don’t want a day like this to end, but you’ll never forget the memories.”
