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Woman completes 100 trips around the sun

Posted on February 28, 2008 by Staff

Madeline Smith jokes with fellow Covenant Place tenant Bettie Graham as Smith’s 100th birthday celebration starts up. Photo by Kirk Ross.

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

Madeline Clara Smith spent the first part of her 100th birthday in a way any of us would have it.

“I’ve been on the phone all morning,” she said in a voice that was surprisingly strong and unmistakably that of a true Mainer.

As the calls from family members kept rolling in, the Lewiston, Maine native spent that time on the phone in the comfy confines of her Covenant Place apartment, where she keeps an impressive variety of houseplants.

She is quick to answer one of the most standardized questions in journalism.

Q: How did you live to be 100?

A: Oh, how should I know?

Honestly, she said she never thought she’d live to see Feb. 21, 2008, and then rattled off the age of passing of siblings, parents and friends.

She spent almost all of her years in Maine, where she had a career as a nurse. She moved to Covenant Place ten years ago to be close to her son Richard Smith-Overman, her daughter-in-law Patty and their children. Most days she does some knitting.

“I knit blankets for the children’s clinic in Yanceyville where my daughter-in-law works,” she said.

Sitting on her walker, she said knitting is difficult at times — some of that due to problems seeing, but mostly because of arthritis. She held out her hands, and though most of her fingers were stiffened she demonstrated the agility that’s allowed her to keep making blankets for the little ones. Other than that, no real complaints.

“I make out,” she said.

Later, after being seated as the guest of honor at her birthday party, she told a gathering of fellow tenants and Covenant Place staff that they shouldn’t have.

“I didn’t know it was going to be like this,” she said. “I was just going to have a cup of coffee.”

Ten candles were lit around a cake that day and for the 100th time Madeline Smith was serenaded with “Happy Birthday.”

Then, refusing any help in the endeavor, she slowly and deliberately blew out every last candle on the cake.

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