Nine honored for 906 years of living

Special to the Green Valley News

Raise your hand if you know anyone 100 or older. Not too many hands go up, do they?

Nine local residents who have had the good fortune, good health and good genes to reach their 100 year and beyond were honored Friday at Casa de Esperanza.

Collectively, they have lived 906 years.

The special event was a first for the greater Green Valley area and took root when Green Valley Community Coordinating Council’s Health and Human Services chair, Kathy Simpson, and GVCCC’s former Executive Director Joyce Finkelstein attended a similar event in Tucson last year.

They returned inspired to have a similar celebration for those who have celebrated their 99th birthday and are now in their 100th year and those who have celebrated their 100th and later birthdays. Simpson and Finkelstein spoke with Casa de Esperanza director Ellen March and La Posada CEO Lisa Israel and they pulled it together — a first for Green Valley.

Of the nine honored, Amy Barker Dillaha and Beatrice Bidwell are the youngest. Both will turn 100 in December.

Catherine “Kitty” Williams, who will turn 105 in November, was the oldest. As a special honor, Casa de Esperanza Executive Director Bill McCreery presented Williams with a plaque. He thanked the centenarians for “their pioneering of a long, successful life and showing future generations the way.”

Other honorees included Josephine Whitford Duggan, 100; Frances Frye, 101; James Hanson, 101; Ruth Larson, 101; Evelyn Rasmussen, 100, and Grace Wesbecher, 101.

“You are survivors, you’ve lived through 100 years of ups and downs,” Israel said before a group of about 30 people. “You are historians, you’ve witnessed the greatest changes in the world over a 100-year period of time. You are teachers, we have much to learn from you... We celebrate you, and we honor you.”

Attending the “Salute to Centenarians” was Gabe Zimmerman, outreach coordinator for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Reading a letter from Giffords, he said, “Each of you has witnessed many historic moments — mass production of Model T’s to man’s first steps on the moon to the dawn of the Internet.

“We are fortunate to live in a country that has the proud distinction of being home to the world’s largest population of centenarians. During the 1990s, the number of centenarians in the U.S. nearly doubled and the growth is expected to continue.”

Gov. Jan Brewer, Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain, Pima County District 4 Supervisor Ray Carroll and GVCCC President Stan Riddle sent letters of good wishes.

Centenarians have their say

Thrilled to have her photo taken with young and handsome Zimmerman, 99-year-old Bidwell said, “I haven’t taken a photo with a man in years. I got lucky today.”

Duggan, who celebrated her 100th birthday last week, said, “I had a big party and was very happy to turn 100. My son Gregory has the same birthday. He was 70.”

Evelyn Rasmussen, who turned 100 in February, said, “I didn’t have a celebration. This is my first, but my family came and took me out every day.”

At 101, Frances Frye said she has no idea why she’s had the good fortune to live a long life. “It’s a mystery to me. My mother died at 47, my dad died at 64.”

At 101, James Hanson said he has walked 45,000 miles in his life and now he walks with a walker. Regina Ford, who emceed the event, sang “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” to Hanson. His response: “I need a wife. Will you marry me?”

Grand Dame of the day, Kitty Williams, said she didn’t do anything special to reach 104.

“I guess it’s luck.”

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.