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Letter to the editor

100 years of living

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 20, 2007

Palm Harbor resident Mary D'Angelo Palazzolo celebrated her 101st birthday on Nov. 16 at Manor Care in Palm Harbor with family and friends.

She was born in New York City on Nov. 16, 1906, to Antoinette and Giacomo D'Angelo, and was the youngest of their four children.

Mrs. Palazzolo's daughter, Mary Cabano, tells an intriguing tale of her mother's childhood.

"When she was 5 years old, my mother walked to a nearby store to buy stale buns. While sitting on the curb with bag in hand, she was kidnapped. My grandparents didn't have the $200 ransom that was demanded."

Thankfully, the story had a happy ending. "Somehow, my mother was returned unharmed, but the case was never solved. My grandparents were very protective of her after that."

As a young woman, Mrs. Palazzolo worked as a seamstress. After marrying Thomas Palazzolo on June 7, 1925, she focused her efforts on homemaking. She loved to bake and cook. She and her husband had a daughter, Mary, and two sons, Salvatore and Thomas.

Mr. Palazzolo died in 1964.

Mrs. Palazzolo has lived in Palm Harbor since 1991 and now resides at Manor Care, where her daughter visits her every morning.

In addition to her three children, Mrs. Palazzolo has seven grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

***

A 100th birthday party was held for Elsie Martha Kane on Dec. 5 at The Gardens at Dunedin.

One of six children, Mrs. Kane was born in York, Pa., on Dec. 5, 1907, to Jacob and Lovena Sweitzer. Her youngest sister, Ethel, is still living.

She married John T. Kane on Aug. 28, 1934, in Saratoga, N.Y., and enjoyed gardening, cooking and sewing, and took great pleasure in working on and maintaining her home. She also worked as a waitress.

Her husband died in 1979 and she came to Dunedin in 1989 from Port St. Lucie.

When she was 80, she traveled by airplane to Europe, England, Ireland and Scotland. On another jaunt, she rode a camel in Turkey.

Linda Pinke, activity director at The Gardens of Dunedin, says Mrs. Kane has a spunky personality.

"Let's just say she has a very colorful vocabulary when the need arises," Ms. Pinke explained. "She tells it like it is and lets you know just what she thinks and feels."

Mrs. Kane enjoys bingo, trivia and music programs.

She has two nephews, Kenneth and Robert.

***

William G. Simard of Palm Harbor reached the 100-year mark Oct. 26. He and his family celebrated that evening at Angellino's Restaurant, Palm Harbor, and he was treated to a second party the next day by his neighbors at Countryside Estates, where he has been a resident since 1988.

Mr. Simard was born Oct. 26, 1907, in Lowell, Mass., and at age 9 his family moved to New York Mills, N.Y.

He married his wife, Genevieve, in August 1941 and during World War II, worked as a foreman at the shipyards in Baltimore.

After the war, Mr. Simard attended Mohawk Valley Technical Institute, Utica, N.Y., where he studied drafting. After graduation, he founded Consolidated Sheet Metal in Utica, and operated the successful sheet metal shop from 1946 to 1956. He then founded W.G. Simard Inc., a large wholesale plumbing and heating company, where he stayed until his retirement in 1982.

Before coming to Palm Harbor in 1986, Mr. Simard and his wife were four-year residents of Marco Island. Mrs. Simard died in 2006.

Mr. Simard stays busy by riding his three-wheeled bike, going out to eat and visiting neighbors. He likes to read and to solve crossword puzzles.

Mr. Simard has a passion for golf and played the game until he was 98 years old. He has made a hole-in-one. He still enjoys watching golf and is a fan of Tiger Woods.

He has four children, Cynthia Stern, Leatha Simard, Arthur Simard and Warren Simard, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Honor society inducts north county residents

These North Pinellas residents were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society at a ceremony on Oct. 30 at the Tarpon Springs campus of St. Petersburg College.

They are Kristie Wade of Crystal Beach; Janusz Suzdorf, Allison Bouchard and Barbara Heddins, all of Dunedin; Agnieszka Wojnar, Brian Zimmerman, Christina Loucks, Julia Mirelez, Sharyn Qureshi, April Semeniuk and Matt Sprague, all of Palm Harbor; Tila Kety of Safety Harbor; and Ronald Buening II, Kaitlin Connolly, Antonia Costas, Maria Costas, Patricia Lang, Sarah Woods and Katie Cohen, all of Tarpon Springs.

Professor of Mathematics and PTK Academic Adviser Kenneth L. Chapman was given an honorary membership into PTK.

Tarpon Springs High yearbook wins award

The 2007 Tarpon Springs High School yearbook, under adviser Kenneth Henderson, has earned the All-Florida Award fromthe Florida Scholastic Press Association.

The school's yearbook, produced under student leadership, has received many accolades over the years, as has Mr. Henderson.

In addition, many of Mr. Henderson's former students and yearbook staff members have gone on to prestigious opportunities within the writing and publication industry.

Late bloomer to golf has two aces this year

Karen Clements started playing golf in 1993 while living in Atlanta. Now she's retired and a resident of Oldsmar.

Described as a "golf-a-holic" by her husband, she garnered her second hole-in-one this year Oct. 30, acing Hole No. 5 of the Pines Course at Countryside Country Club, where she is a member.

Her first hole-in-one was also on the Lakes Course of Countryside Country Club back in May.

Both occurred during normal play of the Countryside Ladies Golf Association, of which Mrs. Clements is a member and tournament chairperson.

Two custom-made plaques will commemorate her accomplishments.

[Last modified December 19, 2007, 21:48:25]