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Celebrating a Century: Lakewood Community Honors Its Centenarians
This week, Lakewood celebrated a very special group of residents: six incredible women over 100 years ‘young’. The guests of honor for the day were Jane Berkeley, Laura Neale, Virginia Noble, Ella Johnson, Louise Dunbar and Fountaine Fox. Their ages range from 100 to an impressive 105 years old!
The residents greatly appreciated the top-notch service and lunch provided by the dedicated staff at Lakewood.
Among these inspiring women, Ms. Laura Neale, who at 105 years old, is the oldest resident of Lakewood. A native of King and Queen County, Virginia, Ms. Neale has lived a life filled with experiences worth sharing.
Raised in a home built in 1865, she spent her life nurturing her four children while her husband served in the military. During these years, Neale contributed significantly to her community, volunteering at her local church and school, particularly for children with disabilities.
Ms. Neale’s zest for life remains illuminated in her eyes. According to her, the secret to a long life is to live each day to the fullest. Today, she is a proud matriarch to 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Ms. Neale is an embodiment of the joy and satisfaction residents at Lakewood experience. In her words, “The team members don’t just work here, they look after you. Melissa and Carmen are just wonderful.”
“In our close-knit community, we are not just staff and residents; we are family,” said Melissa Valyo Smith, Healthcare and Assisted Living Activities Program Manager at Lakewood. “We look forward to many more years of celebrating life with our wonderful residents.”
Happy 100+ years to these six extraordinary ladies! Thank you for being an inspiration to us all!