Subscribe to the Newspaper
E-edition
Publish your Stuff
Need Help? Click Here
Search: Site   Web
Print Story | E-Mail Story | Font Size
HAL SMITH/DEMOCRAT
Delpha Johnson, a resident at the Four Seasons Living Center, celebrates her 110th birthday with a serenade from local performer and Elvis Presley impersonator Don Darnell while surrounded by residents and staff during a Wednesday afternoon party.
What is this?

Save & Share this Article

Young men, chocolate secrets to living 110 years

Comments 0 | Recommend 0

Young men and chocolate.

That’s what helped Delpha Johnson reach her 110th birthday, the supercentenarian said jokingly.

But others think she just has good genes.

“When we get a flu here, she just doesn’t get sick,” said George Cobblah, director of social services for the Four Seasons Living Center. “I don’t even remember the last time she went to the doctor.”
Johnson was born in northern Missouri on May 21, 1898, and she grew up in Sedalia, where she was a beautician for years.

The Gerontology Research Group is keeping tabs on 76 other supercentenarians worldwide on its Web site, www.grg.org. The group defines a supercentenarian anyone who has lived to be 110 years or older. Sixty-five of the people listed on the Web site are women and 11 are men. The oldest person is 115.

Don Darnell, an Elvis impersonator, performed for Johnson’s birthday party at Four Seasons Living Center for more than 100 people.

“This woman has seen everything from the beginning of our Industrial Age to now,” Darnell said. “This lady is a living testament to history.”

Johnson, told her guests she was turning 21 and moved her head to the rhythm of the music.
“I told her it was her birthday this morning, and she thought she was 106,” said Teresa Mays, Johnson’s social worker. “Then I told he she looked beautiful, and she told me, ‘Oh, you need glasses.’ ”

Employees at Four Seasons said Johnson loves to have a good time.

“She’s a really lovely lady. For 110, she knows everything she wants,” activity assistant Melissa Schreuders said. “She’ll say when she wants her nails painted or when she wants to play Go-Fish.”

Johnson worries about the impression she makes on people, one employee said.
“She was a very, very alert, educated person,” Pat Perriguey, in medical records, said. “Prissy, but not the kind of person that would hold it over your head. She’s just very particular.”

Johnson moved to a Four Seasons independent living apartment in 1998. As her health declined, she received more constant care.
“This is a big milestone for all of us,” Mays said. “I don’t know. I think 110 deserves some kind of recognition.”


See archived 'Top Story' stories »
 


Reader Comments
This a place to discuss and debate ideas that foster stronger communities. Comments that include personal attacks, profanity or are defamatory or harassing will be removed. Comments made to appear that they are made by someone other than the real author will be removed. We will block users who repeatedly violate our standards. Please review our user agreement (found under the register link above comments box), particularly the provisions under User Content and Interactive Areas of The Service. You are fully responsible for the content that you post. Please report comments that violate our policies to ensure prompt review.

Weather
Yellow Pages
Gas Prices
NWS Sedalia - Thunderstorm in Vicinity Rain Fog/Mist
71.0°F
Thunderstorm in Vicinity Rain Fog/Mist and 71.0°F
Winds from the East at 12.7 gusting to 16.1 MPH (11 gusting to 14 KT)
Last Update: July 4, 2009 - 2:20AM

Updates every 30 minutes
ADVERTISEMENT 
Publish Your Stuff
ADVERTISEMENT 
Poll
Sedline
Opinion
Super season - so far
Which player is having the more impressive season?
Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols (.328 batting average, 28 home runs, 74 runs batted in, as of Saturday)
Royals pitcher Zack Greinke (9-3 record, 1.90 earned run average, 111 strikeouts)
Enter The Code To Vote
 
powered by
google
Search
        Search: Web    Site