By: Justine Smith, New Media/Web Content Coordinator

At 114 years old, Susannah Mushatt Jones, born July 6, 1899, is both the oldest known person in New York state and the third-oldest person in the world.

Mushatt Jones, a veritable “supercentenarian,” is proof that Americans are “getting healthier, living longer and doing better financially,” according to an NPR article.

Residents in DePaul’s Senior Living Communities are following these trends. In 2013, we’ve already celebrated the birthdays of several centenarians:

Mildred Bowers, 101 years old
Southfork, a DePaul Senior Living Community in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Mildred turned 101 on March 30, 2013!

Born in 1912, Mildred worked with her husband in the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) office he opened after retiring from the police force. For pleasure, she and her husband enjoyed taking trips to New York and Las Vegas.

Last year, in honor of her 100th birthday, Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Jones issued a proclamation declaring March 30 as Mildred Bowers Day! For her 101st birthday, Bowers celebrated with friends and family at Southfork.

 

Florence Raczynski, 101 years old
Glenwell, a DePaul Senior Living Community in Cheektowaga, New York

Florence turned 101 on May 25, 2013! She and her husband John were world travelers, circling the globe three separate times on vacations.

Florence is the proud mother of two sons and one daughter, all college graduates!

In her lifetime, Florence has witnessed 19 different U.S. presidents, and she’s lived through everything from World War I to 9/11.

“I’ve lived a great life, very interesting,” Florence adds. “If I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

 

Olive Singleton, 103 years old!
Westwood Commons, a DePaul Senior Living Community in North Chili, New York

Olive turned 103 on May 26, 2013! A resident of Westwood Commons since 2006, Singleton and her late husband Norman Singleton have two children, 11 grandchildren and many great and great-great-grandchildren. When she isn’t doting over her family, Mrs. Singleton loves shopping, bowling, singing, playing bingo and flea markets.

“Her secret to living to 103 is that she doesn’t think she’s old,” said Mrs. Singleton’s granddaughter Linda Moore. “Every once in a while, when she is tired, she says I think I might be getting old, and I reply ‘that can’t be,’ and she agrees.”

 

DePaul is proud to provide quality care and services to the many seniors in our communities!