Paramus woman turns 100 years old with love, laughter and a Gatsby party
Staff and residents of CareOne donned their finest 1920s wardrobe, complete with feathered headbands, to celebrate the facility’s centenarian in a celebration that would have made Jay Gatsby proud.
Harmony Village at CareOne in Paramus, an assisted living facility for the memory impaired, was decked out like it came right out of the Jazz Age, complete with jazz remixes of popular songs playing in the background, as everyone celebrated Rosemarie Menzies’ 100th birthday. Menzies herself was the star of the show with her golden dress and her tiara decorated by a “100” figure in the center.
The 1920s-themed celebration occurred throughout the day, with a singer who performed the greatest hits from the Roaring Twenties in the morning and a "Gatsby social" in the afternoon with food, drinks and music. Mayor Chris DiPiazza gave Menzies a certificate on her special day that wished her "love, laughter and smiles."
Menzies was born and raised in Jersey City, where she lived most of her life. She was a hard worker throughout her life and didn’t retire until she was 86 years old. She worked as a secretary for William P. Hunt and eventually owned her own printing company for many years.
Her faith was something else that was important to her throughout her life. She was a longtime member of Mount Carmel Church in Tenafly.
Menzies has never lost her sense of humor over time. When a CareOne employee lent her staff jacket to Menzies after the centenarian mentioned she was a little cold, the employee joked that Menzies looked ready for work. Menzies was quick to respond with a joke of her own, saying that it was “OK as long as you pay me” and that she expected “sky-high” wages.
Menzies has enjoyed music and painting as hobbies over the years, but when asked about what she liked to do in her free time, she responded with another joke.
“Work was my hobby,” she said.
After seeing the staff and fellow residents of CareOne celebrating her birthday with decorations and outfits right out of "The Great Gatsby," Menzies said she was “overwhelmed” but appreciated that everyone was spending the day celebrating with her.
Menzies’ birthday marked the first time that Harmony Village at CareOne was able to hold a 100th-birthday bash for one of its residents, said Risa Kory, administrator of the facility. Menzies has been involved in the facility’s music program and loves to sing, as she can still remember the words to a lot of old songs.
Kory was grateful to the CareOne staff for dressing up in 1920s outfits to fit the atmosphere and create a fun celebration for Menzies.
“It’s a clear demonstration of how much they care,” Kory said. “It’s much easier to do the hard work if it’s something you’re passionate about.”
What’s Menzies’ secret to living such a long life? There is none, she said. However, she changed her mind later in the party and said: It’s important to be honest and have laughter in your life.
“She loves to laugh, and she feels that’s the reason why she doesn’t take life too seriously,” said Joan DiPaola, a dementia care specialist at CareOne.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paramus woman turns 100 years old with love and laughter
