"Sally Burns arrived at the Live Oak Adult Day Services center earlier this week looking sharp in a tan blazer, gray slacks and a cream embroidered blouse. At a long table with seven other seniors, she studied her musical bingo board as the melody of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" drifted through the room. Her brow furrowed behind her glasses, then she lit up, placing a red chip down once she recognized the tune."
"At 105, Burns says she's grateful for many things. She lives in San Jose with her daughter, Cindy, and son-in-law, Jim, who will be hosting Thanksgiving festivities at their home this year. "Jim's a good cook," Burns said. "Every year I love the turkey and the pumpkin pie." Burns is also grateful for the communities outside her home. On Mondays and Tuesdays she's at Live Oak, rotating through activities that keep her mind and body moving like seated yoga, painting and storytelling. On Sundays, she's worshipping and socializing at her church of six years. "I feel like part of a family in that church," she said."
"When she thinks about people she's most grateful for, her memories often drift back to her late husband, Richard. The two met at a George Washington University coffee club in Washington, D.C., and fell quickly in love. After graduation they married and moved to Mexico City, where Richard worked at the U.S. Embassy. They spent four decades there and raised four children."
Several Bay Area families will gather around relatives who have reached 100 or more, offering perspectives shaped by war, migration and decades of domestic life. Centenarians often emphasize gratitude for family, community and routine comforts. Sally Burns, 105, lives in San Jose with her daughter and son-in-law and attends Live Oak Adult Day Services for activities such as seated yoga, painting and musical bingo. She worships regularly and values church fellowship. Burns recalls meeting her late husband at George Washington University, living and raising four children in Mexico City, and relocating from San Antonio in 2019 after his death.
Read at The Mercury News
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