Village of Colonie resident’s milestone marked by dignitaries
Reaching the age of 100 is quite the milestone, especially when you will be receiving a plaque commemorating the moment from the president of the United States, a United States senator and the mayor of the town you lived in.
Kay Elston, a mother of three and a widow since 1972, turned 100 years old on Tuesday, Sept. 14. At her surprise birthday party the Sunday before, she couldn’t be happier to be surrounded by nearly 40 members of her family spanning at least two generations at the Our Lady of Mercy Life Center in Guilderland.
I don’t care if I live after 100 because I’ve enjoyed this birthday so much, she said. `There must be 42 people here, I can’t believe it. It is a wonderful, wonderful surprise.`
Elston has lived in the Village of Colonie since 1950, recalling stories with her daughter-in-law, Evelyn, about breaking her heels on the cobblestone streets when they were still there in Albany or playing cards at the Colonie Senior Center.
She thanked her granddaughter Donna Miller for putting the surprise party together as tears of joy filled her eyes.
Talk to anyone who has met Elston and they will say she still has all of her facilities and is in good health, which is something she herself is surprised by.
`It’s wonderful that I’m so healthy,` she said. `It’s surprising. I can’t believe it.`
She was able to live on her own for 99 years of her life, but six months ago she broke her shoulder, which landed her in Our Lady of Mercy.
`Now I’m staying here for good,` she said. `It’s not that I enjoy it so much, I just can’t do anything at home. When I was home, I just sat in the chair because I couldn’t do anything. It’s a good thing that I’m here. It’s rather enjoyable.`
Elston did a lot with the Senior Center in Colonie, and went on many of their trips, such as looking at the foliage in Vermont during the fall, her favorite season, as well as participating in square dancing all the way up to the age of 85, along with participating in events put on by the Women’s Auxiliary Club since her son, Donald, is a fireman.
`I did trips down to the Catskills and up to Vermont, all over` she said. `Whenever there’s a day trip and sometimes an overnight trip, I love the Senior Citizen Center.`
Her sister Claire, 84, refers to herself as Elston’s `best sister` as she talks to her on the phone every evening around 6:30 p.m.
`She’s a very outgoing and beautiful person,` she said. `She’s a very lovely person, very kind and very considerate.`
Evelyn and Miller even described her as a bit of a ham. They talked about all of the things she did even in her later years, such as riding her first horse at age 65.
`She’s a good egg,` Miller said. `She has a good heart and a good soul, and we’re fortunate she has a good mind still at 100 years old. I mean, physically, we all break down, but her mind is right there.`
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