Family, Neighbors Pay Tribute to Shrub Oak Woman on Her 100th Birthday
The family of Rowena Jacque Lodes had been looking forward to celebrating her 100th birthday for several years.
Last Saturday, May 2, the big day finally arrived, but with social distancing protocols in effect, the celebration took on a much different look than planned.
Instead of going to a restaurant in Connecticut, Lodes, who is affectionately known as DeeDee, saw her family arrange to have the Lake Mohegan Fire Department lead a birthday procession with horns and sirens blaring around the parking lot at the Wynwood Oaks complex in Shrub Oak where she lives.
Close to 20 vehicles, including relatives’ cars with balloons tied on, followed the fire trucks as family waved to Lodes. She had the best, and safest, view of anyone of the celebration – from her second-floor terrace.
“We have been talking about her 100th birthday since she was in her early nineties,” said Deborah Arbucci, one of her granddaughters. “Then every time she got sick or any time she had to go to the hospital or anything happened, it was always ‘You have to wait till your 100th birthday. You can’t go now.’”
Lodes waved to all the well-wishers below with a sign draped over the side of the terrace saying “Happy 100th Birthday DeeDee.”
Her neighbors at Wynwood Oaks cheered her from below. Rosemarie Toscano said that Lodes is an inspiration because she’s full of life, a spry woman who before the coronavirus struck, would be regularly seen walking and driving her bright red Hynudai Elantra around town.
“It shows that actions speak louder than words,” Toscano said. “What does that tell you? (She’s) a very well-loved woman.”
Arbucci said her grandmother was born in Buffalo and spent part of her childhood there, before her family moved to Ohio.
Lodes met her husband at the 1940 World’s Fair in New York, which she was attending as a model for Dupont Industries, and he was a scientist for the company. They had two children and five grandchildren. Lodes now has 10 great-grandchildren, Arbucci said.
She raised her children, and after her divorce, worked as an interior designer. In fact, she continues to knit, crochet and paint
“She’s very artsy. She paints, she still does acrylic painting and stuff,” Arbucci said. “She’s very, very artsy, very creative.”
Lodes also reads voraciously, making sure to keep her mind sharp, she said.
In the parking lot was Yorktown Town Clerk Diana Quast, who was representing the town for the unusual 100th birthday party. It was a dose of badly needed good news.
“What a celebration,” said Quast. “I’m glad we were able to participate and we’re glad to be here.”
The biggest disappointment for her grandmother, Arbucci said, was that DeeDee wanted a chance to show her appreciation to all the special people in her life, including extended family, friends and even the local postal workers and her doctors.
“She wanted to have everyone there, but she wanted to turn it around and thank everyone else, and thank everyone who’s a part of her life instead,” Arbucci said. “Instead of singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ she wanted to say thank you.”
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
