Montgomery County Honors Its 453 Centenarians

LANSDALE, PA -- When some of the men and women in the luncheon hall at Dock Woods on Wednesday were born, William Howard Taft was president. What would become known as World War I was still four years away. Mark Twain had just died. The Civil War and the dawn of our country had been lived by their parents and grandparents.

As county commissioner Joe Gale observed, the 50-plus centenarians in attendance represented some 5,000 years of "history and accumulated knowledge."

And it was that history, tradition, and livelihood which celebrated at the recent event, held in honor of the 453 Montgomery County residents who have reached the age of 100 or older. More than 50 of them were on hand at the luncheon.

The luncheon at Dock Woods, a senior living center in Lansdale, included music, entertainment, birthday celebrations, and speeches from county commissioners and centenarians.

“We are so honored and excited to be here today, to celebrate our centenarians,” said Val Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners. “Each of you is a member of what Tom Brokaw called The Greatest Generation. And it’s easy to see why. We have so much to thank you for.”

The number of centenarians has sharply increased over the past year. In 2016, there were only 330 residents over the age of 100.

The oldest resident in attendance at the Dock Woods was Lean Jeandell, who is 106. Lean was born Nov. 21, 1910.

During a recent board meeting, Montgomery County Commissioners declared May as Older Americans Month.

“It’s been such an enlightening experience, coming here and hearing your stories,” said Ken Lawrence, Jr., Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners. “Behind each centenarian in this room there is a century’s worth of stories, advice, and insight into how we as a county have progressed over the last 100 years.”

Image via Montgomery County