By Rick Banas of assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd., and Linda Carey, Resident Services Coordinator at the Heritage Woods of Watseka affordable assisted living community.
Naomi Flesher had a hundred reasons to celebrate last week. She became a Centenarian on Friday, July 6, 2012.
On the day she was born 100 years ago, the 1912 Stockholm”s Olympic Games were opening in Stockholm, Sweden. These were the games where Jim Thorpe gained fame as the World’s Greatest Athlete.
Naomi, who was the First Miss Iroquois County Queen, lived in her own home in Watseka until she was 92. She moved into Heritage Woods just days after the community opened for occupancy in the summer of 2004.
In her honor, the staff of Heritage Woods hosted a special Birthday Party on Friday afternoon. The Dining Room was decorated in Naomi’s favorite colors of purple and yellow. Refreshments included a purple punch made with grape juice. To kick-off the celebration, those in attendance launched 100 purple and yellow balloons.
Naomi’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were in attendance. All eight great grandchildren were wearing T-Shirts the featured a picture of Naomi and the wording “My Great Grandmother Turns 100 Today!”
Naomi attributes living to the young age of 100 to never smoking, never drinking and watching what she ate. She also believes her faith had a lot to do with it. One of her grandsons mentioned “her genes” and “not worrying about anything.”
Some of the biggest changes that she has seen over her lifetime are all of the scientific advances such as TVs, computers and going to the moon. She also talked about changes in morality, saying with a grin, “you’ve got to remember, I am 100 so I have been around for a long time.”
From her years of experience, the best advice she has for her great grandchildren is “do what you think is right” and “always treat people good.”
She says she does not have any “favorite memories.” Rather, she feels “every day was her favorite.”
Naomi adds that she loves living at Heritage Woods because “it is just like home.” The staff is nice, the food is good and there is always something to keep her busy.
“The people that work and live here are just one big family.”
- Naomi Flesher
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
