Centenarians to be honored -- 2015

BIRDSALL, CANTWELL, GROSVERNOR, MITCHELL, NEWLON, NORTON

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 11/19/2015 at 23:00:34

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Page 2

Five centenarians to be honored Thursday

A Centenarian Reception is planned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at SunnyBrook Living Care Center.

Five centenarians will be honored ranging in age from 101 to 107 years old: Celma BIRDSALL, Frances CANTWELL, Marie Eleanor GROSVERNOR, Roy MITCHELL and Margaret NEWLON. Three live in Fairfield, one from Fremont and one from Ottumwa.

The reception will include a welcome by Milestones Area Agency on Aging CEO Christa Merritt, a video message from Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, presentation of certificates by Iowa Department on Aging director Donna Harvey, entertainment by Daniel Prendergast, and a closing also by Merritt.

Refreshments will be served.

The effort to recognize Iowans who are celebrating 100 years or more of life, is an initiative of the governor and the Iowa Department on Aging with the help of the six Area Agencies on Aging, including Milestones Area Agency on Aging.

Milestones, which covers 17 counties in Iowa: Appanoose, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Lucas, Mahska, Monroe, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Wayne, an reached out to southeast Iowa residents who might be, or who might know someone, who is 100 years old or older and who would like to be honored at a centenarian recognition reception planned for early November in the Ottumwa and Fairfield area. Iowa residents who were 100 years of age by Aug. 15 this year qualified for the special recognition.

For information, contact Peggy Dykes, Milestones community relations director, at 855-410-6222, ext. 212, or pdykes@milestonesaaa.org .

Those unable to attend the reception will receive a certificate from Gov. Branstad.

Iowa ranks third in the nation for number of centenarians per capita.

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Page 2

Area centenarians honored

A Centenarian Reception was held the afternoon of Dec. 3 at SunnyBrook Living Care Center.

Six centenarians ranging in age from 101 to 107 years old: Celma BIRDSALL, Frances CANTWELL, Marie Eleanor GROSVERNOR, Roy MITCHELL Margaret NEWLON and Eloise NORTON were honored. The honorees live in Fairfield, Fremont and Ottumwa.

The reception included a welcome by Milestones Area Agency on Aging, CEO Christa Merrit, a video message from Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, the prsentation of certificates by Iowa Department on Aging director Donna Harvey, entertainment by Daniel Prendergast, and a closing also by Merritt. Refreshments were served.

The effort to recognize Iowans who are celebrating 100 years of more of life, is an initiative of the governor and the Iowa Department on Aging with the help of the six Area Agencies on Aging, including Milestones Area Agency on Aging.

Milestones, which covers 17 counties in Iowa: Appanoose, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Wayne, had reached out to southeast Iowa residents who might be, or who might know someone, who is 100 years old or older and who would like to be honored at a centenarian recognition reception in the Ottumwa and Fairfield area. Iowans who were 100 years of age by Dec. 31 this year qualified for the recognition.

Those unable to attend the reception will receive a certificate from the governor.

"We are so fortunate to have such a large number of centenarians in Iowa," said Iowa Department on Aging Director Donna Harvey. "They have lived through things many of us have only read about in books or seen in movies; their collective wisdom and experience is an inspiration to us all. We can learn so much from these men and women who have helped make Iowa the great state that it is."

Iowa ranks third in the nation for number of centenarians per capita.

For information, contact Peggy Dykes, Milestones community relations director, at 855-410-6222, ext. 212, or pdykes@milestonesaaa.org .

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: The photo below ran with the December 10th story.

Jefferson Documents maintained by Joey Stark.
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