GREENFIELD — World War I, World War II, Babe Ruth, first man on the moon — May Szulborski has lived through it all.
Greenfield’s oldest resident celebrated her 105th birthday at the Poet’s Seat Health Care Center Wednesday, surrounded by friends and family. During the party, Mayor William Martin presented her with a certificate of recognition from the town to commemorate the milestone, as well as the Boston Post gold-headed cane, presented to the oldest resident of the town annually.
Martin said he has visited her every year on her birthday since she turned 100.
“This is becoming an annual event,” he said. “I’ve been coming up every year since, and I hope I come up for several more.”
Szulborski said she doesn’t have a secret of longevity, but that her family has always been very loving — especially her mother and father, who she said took very good care of her. On turning 105, she said, “It doesn’t bother me at all as long as I’m healthy and can get around.”
Szulborski was born on April 6, 1911, on Lincoln Street, back when it was all farmland. From there, her family moved to Turners Falls and later to Gill in 1933, where her father bought a farm.
“That’s basically what she remembers as home,” her 69-year-old son Lloyd said.
He attended the party along with his wife, son and 65-year-old brother Greg, but said his daughter was unable to make it due to work.
Szulborski got married in 1945 and worked as a secretary at AH Rist Insurance in Turners Falls for about 35 years.
“When (her husband) retired at 58 from the Tap and Die, they finally got a chance to travel cross-country several times and into Canada. They bought a trailer and a camper,” Lloyd Szulborski said.
When his children were born, Szulborski and her husband, for whom Lloyd is named, moved back to watch their grandchildren grow up. Her husband died in 2010.
Although her memory has begun to fade, his mother is a very happy person, Lloyd Szulborski said.
“She just seems to adjust,” he said. “She likes the people, she loves the attention. As long as she’s happy, she can stay for another 30 years, I don’t care. She’s not typical, she’s not wanting to die, she’s not sick of it. She likes living, big time.”
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