'I'm blessed': Port Orange resident Elizabeth Parisi celebrates 100th birthday
PORT ORANGE — Elizabeth Parisi walked into the Adult Activity Center in Port Orange Wednesday thinking she was going to see a few familiar faces and play her weekly bridge games.
Instead, she saw a large sign that read “Happy 100th Birthday!”, a big cake with the same message, food and drinks — all in a room full of around 50 people who were waiting to sing a surprise "Happy Birthday."
A smiling “Libby” (as she is known to her friends) thanked and hugged those who were there to celebrate her.
“I’ve never been a person who has had birthdays too much, you know,” said Parisi, who turns 100 Saturday. “This was my first (surprise party). I wasn’t expecting it.”
'A wonderful life': Ormond Beach WWII vet Ed Vrona has died, 10 days after 104th birthday
Originally from Massachusetts, she and her husband would visit the Daytona Beach area in the 1980s for a few months over the winter. They fell in love with the area and moved here in the early 2000s once they retired.
Before she worked for more than 30 years as a manager in the food-service industry, Parisi was also a bookkeeper.
Parisi's family, including her son, lives in Massachusetts and New York. She had two brothers and four sisters, one of whom lived into her late 90s. Her other siblings lived into their 80s.
Secret to a long life? 'Hard work' and 'good genes'
It’s that “hard work,” with a touch of “good genes” that Parisi said is the secret to her longevity and good health.
“I’ve always worked all my life,” Parisi said. “And I retired early and kept busy. I played shuffleboard, I golfed — I’ve always been busy.”
After singing "Happy birthday," a staff member from the center pointed out to the room that Parisi still drives today. She gives her friends a lift to their weekly encounters or to the supermarket for grocery shopping.
“But don’t tell the police!” Parisi responded, drawing a big laugh from her friends.
Her outdoor activities are less frequent nowadays, but Parisi doesn’t miss a chance to play bridge with her friends at the Adult Activity Center, where she has become a staple.
The center’s staff, Parks and Recreation and other city officials — who helped organize the event — were also among those in attendance. Parisi even received an official certificate from Port Orange Mayor Don Burnette.
“We all know it is not about growing older. It’s about growing bolder,” Burnette said. “And if Libby hasn’t shown us the best of that, I don’t know who could.”
Keeping friends close and living a 'good life'
Parisi’s friends knew about the party for the past two weeks, according to one of her closest pals, Sandra Anderson.
'A warming presence': Holly Hill resident celebrates 100 years of globetrotting adventures
“She is very generous,” Anderson said. “It’s good to be around her. I love being around her. And she is as sharp as a tack.”
Aside from their weekly bridge games, Anderson also helped Parisi through a difficult time last year during Tropical Storm Ian.
Parisi’s house was flooded, so Anderson told her she could live at her mobile home until she could return.
“She ended up sleeping on my couch for three months,” Anderson said.
Anderson said having a friend who is 100 is “unbelievable,” and that the reason why Parisi was able to reach that age is because “she’s taken care of herself all her life.”
“I just live my life and people are good to me,” Parisi said. “I’m blessed, I really am.”
When asked what advice she has for young people today, Parisi emphasized the importance of having “good health, and that health will keep them going for years,” she said.
“And live a good life.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Port Orange woman gets surprise party for 100th birthday
