THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610030350
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BARBARA WOERNER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 61 lines
At 106, Amelia Montgomery can lay claim to being one of the oldest residents of Hampton Roads. But she doesn't have to look far to find some competition.
Four other residents of the Windermere Nursing Home where she lives have reached the century plateau, and together the quintet represent more than half a millennium of living.
On Wednesday, they toasted their collective achievement during Windermere's weekly high tea.
``We thought this was unique, having nearly 10 percent of our residents 100 years of age or older,'' said Sid Ellis, Windermere administrator. ``We decided to put together this celebration to honor Amelia Montgomery, Dorothy Falconer, Alma Webster, Barbara Schiemer and Lillian Relihan.''
The honorees and their family members, along with other Windermere residents, sat at tables covered with linen tablecloths and flower arrangements.
Amelia Montgomery, who was born in 1890 in Dayton, Ohio, opted to sit in the hall with her daughter, Shirley Montgomery, and granddaughter, Betsy Arnaudin.
``She still wants to clean her own room, and now she's not able to do as much as she would like,'' said Shirley Montgomery. ``She is definitely the matriarch of the family and doesn't like anyone telling her what to do.''
Jean Southall, daughter of Alma Webster, said that when her mother gives her date of birth - April 29, 1896 - staff at doctors' offices and pharmacists think she is making a mistake. They usually admit that they have never had to write down a date of birth from a patient that was born in the 1800s.
``I've always behaved myself and taken care of my health,'' said Webster with a mischievous smile.
Barbara Schiemer seemed to enjoy the entire room singing ``Happy Birthday'' to her and the other four guests of honor. A native of Liverpool, England, she moved with her family to Argentina in 1898 at 2 years of age and lived there until she was 14.
Her great-nephew, Allen Anderson, chuckled at the mention of his great aunt living a quiet life.
``When she was 95, she spent the whole day at Atlantic City working the slot machines, and then she had dinner, went to a movie and finished it all off with dessert,'' he said.
Dorothy Falconer, 101, sat with her hand entwined with that of her friend, Grace Sawyer, as the two talked.
Falconer's daughters, Dolly McGirt and Hope Minor sat and smiled at the conversation between the two friends.
``You don't feel old yourself when you have a mother that's 100 years old,'' said Minor. ``She likes to keep busy and she's still very outspoken.'' ILLUSTRATION: D. KEVIN ELLIOTT color photos/The Virginian-Pilot
Above, Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf presents a centenarian
certificate to a smiling Barbara Schiemer, 100, at Windermere
Nursing Home. At left, 100-year-old Alma Webster shows off a rose
she received at the event. Below, Dorothy Falconer, 101, receives
her certificate. Also honored were centenarians Amelia Montgomery
and Lillian Relihan. by CNB