[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1057-E1058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  5715 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ONE ROOM

                                 ______


                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 17, 1995
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues news 
of a special gathering that will take place on Thursday, May 18, in 
Castro Valley, CA. Over 50 senior citizens, each over 100 years old, 
will join together at Eden Medical Center for the sixth annual 100+ 
celebration. As best I can calculate it, 5715 years of experience and 
memories will be shared by 56 people at this unique gathering.
  Every one of us has looked to an elder, perhaps a grandparent or 
great-grandparent, at different times during our lives for the wise 
counsel that only experience can provide. Their wit and wisdom speak of 
lessons learned; their knowing smiles are a reflection on decades of 
experience. I know my own mother, who is just 86 years old, has taught 
this incorrigible son an encyclopedia of lessons!
  While I cannot be there on Thursday, I want to join Eden Hospital in 
honoring our local centenarians. The most senior of these senior 
citizens are 106, including Vera Sherman and Anna Simons. There are 
also five 105 year- [[Page E1058]] olds, including Abdul Khaliqi, 
Antonio Nieto, Marie Sobieski, Mary Souza, and Ethel Stenson.
  Nicolasa Alcon, Elizabeth Denny, Etta Osborn, Epifania Saldana, Eva 
Thornton, Catherine Walker, and Lily Wilkinson are 104 this year. The 
103 year-olds who will be there on Thursday are: Giorgina Angeli, 
Michael Branden, Lillian Garfais, Mamie McGriff, and Antonio Nava. The 
presence of the 102 year-olds will be filled by Anna Galvin, Jim 
Hendricks, Hinda Jackson, Helen Leandro, Eugenia Liorentzevitch, 
Erminia Oberti, Fred Vonbrethorst, Frances Wayne, and Grace Zoellner.
  Marion Boone, Olga Cherepanoff, Josephine Corona, Hazel Garad, Olive 
Gurney, Marianne Hill, Dale Kune, Kristina Langas, Helen Minore, Marian 
Morken, Eva Ortiz, Irene Pearson, Liilie Seay, Mary Silva, Ernestine 
Smedman, Leo Valentine, and Marguerite Zugnoni, at 101, are the 
sophomores of this class. The freshmen, young at only 100, are: Jane 
Barkley, Augusta Burlingame, Alice ``Pete'' Clark, Althea Cummings, 
Leone Gardelius, Ollie Holmes, Clara Moreland, Sumako Oka, Mamie 
Person, Edith Irene Wasley, and Elizabeth Wershkull.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring these 
centenarians, especially during Older Americans Months, 1995. Their 
long and full lives have been a source of inspiration to their friends, 
family, and us all. I wish them all good health and good cheer.


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