ERVING — The Erving Senior Center had a lunch party for Thelma Louise Downs on Tuesday in celebration of her 101st birthday on Friday.
Downs moved to Erving about 15 years ago to live near her daughter, Linda Downs-Bembury. She was born in Maine, grew up in Everett, and was in New Hampshire before moving here, Downs-Bembury said.
In World War II, she christened ships in San Francisco, but she said she couldn’t break the bottles.
“I don’t think she sank any,” Downs-Bembury said.
She may have also been responsible for the hiring of Senior Center Director Paula Betters. Betters said she first came to the Erving Senior Center in 2014 as an interim director. When her interim time was up, Downs went to the Selectboard and literally banged her fist on the table, Betters said.
“I guess she got to like me,” Betters said.
Joining Downs for her birthday party were her son Jeff Downs, who lives in Florida, Linda Downs-Bembury, who lives in Erving, and her granddaughter Jaymie Bembury, who lives in Northampton.
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 261.