News

105th birthday a celebration of humour & spirit

June 26th, 2019

Roberta Graham turned 105 on June 22nd and Points West Living Athens Creek in Penticton threw her a big party luncheon to celebrate. She was feted with a sparkly tiara, a red carpet entrance, a wrist corsage, her choice of menu, cake, songs, letters and tributes of affection and admiration, and… poems.

Saint Roberta?

She isn't Saint Roberta
She's as sassy as can be
You’ll hear more laughs than sermons
When you're in her company!

That stanza, written as part of a longer poem by fellow resident Audrey Ross sums up many of the tributes that came Roberta’s way during the celebration. Roberta has clearly impacted life at Athens Creek in a positive way since she moved in three years ago.

Born in 1914

Born in Winnipeg in 1914, Roberta worked as a stenographer before marrying James Graham in 1940. He was in the RCAF so they travelled throughout Canada until his retirement in 1966. Shortly after that, Roberta trained as a Dental Assistant and went to work for another nine years. James passed away in 1980. They had two children, a daughter and a son, and now Roberta has 12 great-grandchildren. (Thanks to resident Norman Clarke for this information roundup. It is part of a biography he wrote for the Athens Creek newsletter in 2017, titled ‘A few facts about Roberta’ and read by Barbara Jenson during the birthday celebration)

Young at Heart

For the celebration, everyone was in place when General Manager Donna McBeth escorted Roberta down the red carpet and into the dining room. The song Young at Heart was playing on the sound system, and when Roberta appeared, residents began to sing along.

The poems and biography were read and everyone sat down to Roberta’s chosen lunch: clam chowder, French onion soup, egg salad sandwiches, punch, and iced tea (donated for the occasion by David’s Tea), followed by a custom-made birthday cake with Roberta’s photo on top.

Photo: Roberta Graham turned 105 on June 22, 2019. She celebrated over a birthday luncheon with devoted friends at PWL Athens Creek in Penticton.

More photos at Flickr: 105th birthday a celebration of humour and spirit