This Long Beach birthday was worthy of a citation

Some birthdays are milestones. The first, 16th, 21st, 50th and 100th — and anything beyond that — come to mind.

David Golden celebrated one last Sunday that very few have matched. His fell into the “beyond that” category: He turned 109.

The City of Long Beach, along with Golden’s friends and family, celebrated with him. City Council President Brendan Finn and Councilman Mike Reinhart presented him with a citation.

“‘The City of Long Beach recognizes Mr. Golden for his longevity of life and his lifelong commitment to family, friends, and the Long Beach community,’” Reinhart read from the citation. “‘The City Council and the city manager of the City of Long Beach, in recognition of his 109th birthday, wish him a happy birthday’ — and proudly present this citation to you, sir,” he added. “Congratulations, and Happy Birthday.”

Golden, who was born on July 21, 1915, grew up in Brooklyn, and remembered seeing only one Model T automobile in the entire borough. He graduated from City College with a degree in business administration, and worked at many jobs, including as an accountant, and as a treasurer for a real estate development company in Manhattan.

When he was 21, Golden met someone who would change his life forever. He met the love of his life, Ethel Rosenberg.

“Dad was a bellhop at Tamarack (Lodge) in the Catskills,” his eldest son, Joe, 81, said. “My mom was brought there by her parents, who came for the summer, and he fell in love at first sight. He pursued her for four years after that. He wrote her poetry.”

The couple got married in 1940, and decided to move to Long Beach.

Ethel’s brother, Abner, built four houses in the city, two next to each other on West Penn Street, and two directly behind them on West Beech Street. The Goldens moved into one on West Penn, and lived there until Ethel died in 2006, after 66 years of marriage. David still lives there.

He has always had a passion for music, art, reading and staying active at Temple Benai Asher, formerly the Sephardic Temple of Long Beach. In 1993, his younger son, Robert, 74, founded the Long Beach Symphony. His father played violin in the group, alongside Robert, who was the lead violin. The ensemble played a handful of concerts each year, including summer shows in front of City Hall, until 2000, when it disbanded.

Golden’s home is full of books, all of which he has read, he said. There is also a room with paintings covering most of the wall space, including portraits painted by Ethel’s brother, alongside a collage of papers, photos and documents showcasing the story of his life.

He also has a handful of plants scattered about. “He was also quite a horticulturalist,” Robert said. “When he was about 102, he planted all of these flowers and plants all around the house. He grew citrons.”

Golden has always been in great shape. Up until he was 103, he walked 2 miles a day on the boardwalk. Then he began experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue, however, which limited his walks to about a half-mile. In February 2019, five months before he turned 104, he underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a surgical procedure to repair a calcified heart valve. He was the oldest patient ever to have that operation at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn.

A few months later, he was back to his 2-mile walks.

He doesn’t get to the boardwalk anymore, but is still in great health. Asked about his secret to good health and longevity, he said simply, “There is no secret.”