The 100 Club: Honoring Seven of the Hudson Valley’s Centenarians

Is 100 the new 80? While that may be an exaggeration, the number of people living to the century mark has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the 2010 census, there were 53,364 centenarians in the U.S. — that’s up 66 percent since 1980. In fact, centenarians are the fastest-growing demographic worldwide — thanks, mainly, to better healthcare and a focus on healthy living (good genes help, too). Women are the most likely to reach this age (82.8 percent are female) and the majority of them are Caucasian. In addition, New York ranks second, behind only California, among the states with the most residents 100-plus.

In the following pages, we profile seven local ladies who have lived through the Great Depression, two World Wars, and the invention of airplanes, television, and computers. They share where they’ve been and what they’ve seen. Anna Mae Swenson of Rhinebeck recalls being quarantined during the 1918 flu pandemic, while Germantown’s Helen Henderson talks about her family getting their first radio during the ’20s so her father could listen to baseball games. Adds Rose Bailey of Pomona: “I was happy when women started wearing pants. They’re more comfortable.” Read on for more insights from these exceptional women.

	Katharine Dean Cordts Happy hometown gal: 108-year-old Katharine Dean Cordts from Kingston By Jennifer Leba with Hilary Sparling
	Anna Mae Swenson The soloist: 104-year-old Anna Mae Swenson from Rhinebeck By Rosemary O’Connor
	Mazie W. Johnson and Gladys Covin Soul sisters: 103-year-old Mazie W. Johnson and 101-year-old Gladys Covin from Beacon; PLUS: Watch a video interview with Mazie and Gladys By Jennifer Leba with Hilary Sparling
	Helen Henderson Miss Independent: 101-year-old Helen Henderson from Germantown By Rosemary O’Connor
	Rose Baisley A people person: 100-year-old Rose Baisley from Garnerville By Rosemary O’Connor
	Marion Russell Pine Miss Independent: 104-year-old Marion Russell Pine from New Paltz By Rosemary O’Connor
	The 100 Club Do you know a local person who’s reached (or surpassed) age 100 and who has a good story to tell? Submit a photo and a caption, and your nomination could be selected for Hudson Valley’s 100 Club!