CAMP HILL, Pa. – The mailbag became just a bit heavier this week at The Woods at Cedar Run.
Mildred “Mickey” Clemens celebrated her 106th birthday Friday, Sept. 4. The senior living community marked the occasion with a birthday card shower, bringing greetings from well-wishers near and far.
“Our team at The Woods approached this as a different way to celebrate Mickey and how much she means to our senior living community,” said Amy Renaldi, LifeStages Director. “She easily received more than 100 birthday cards. That says a lot about impact she has had on so many peoples’ lives. The best part is that she is still doing amazing.”
Known for her friendly demeanor, quick wit and ability to tell a memorable story, Clemens has become a cherished part of life at The Woods at Cedar Run.
“I was speechless when I saw the cards,” Clemens said. “My first thought was, ‘Where are they all from?’ I’m grateful for all of the cards.”
Clemens was born Sept. 4, 1920, into a family of five children that included four daughters and one son. As the years passed, she reached a milestone no one else in her immediate family had: becoming the first to celebrate her 100th birthday.
After graduating from Enola High School in 1938, Clemens continued her education at the Harrisburg School of Beauty Culture. She later put that training to work, owning and operating her own beauty shop for five years.
Music became another lasting influence in Clemens’ life. She started piano lessons during the Great Depression, paying 50 cents for each lesson. When her father lost his job, her teacher, who also taught with the Harrisburg Symphony, made sure Clemens could continue by providing the lessons at no cost.
“We all did what we could to pitch in and help our family,” Clemens recalled.
Her childhood was also filled with outdoor adventures. The Clemens family would often spend weeks camping in the Rocky Mountains and Grand Tetons, and Colorado remained one of her favorite places to visit.
“I loved travelling to Colorado,” she said.
That love of travel and the outdoors stayed with her throughout her life. She has long considered herself a camper and outdoor enthusiast.
Clemens also remembers the sacrifices of World War II, when factories shifted to producing war supplies and families at home lived with rationing. “Everybody did something to help the war efforts,” she recalled. Her family was among the few in their neighborhood with a telephone, thanks to her father’s work as a railroad engineer.
For nearly eight decades, Clemens lived in her Enola family home. “We were the only ones that lived in that house for 77 years,” she said proudly.
She later built a family of her own with her late husband, Dale Clemens, whom she met at a party. Telling that story still brings a smile to her face. The couple married at Grace United Methodist Church in Lemoyne, where Mickey Clemens has been a member for 75 years. Their honeymoon took them by train to St. Louis, Missouri, and the couple even rode for free.
Dale Clemens, an accountant, also served in the U.S. Air Force from 1939 to 1941. Together, they raised two sons: Dale Jr., a retired pilot from Manchester, Pa., and Jerry, a retired teacher from Ohio.
After 106 years, Mickey’s outlook remains remarkably positive. When reflecting on her life, she offered a simple assessment: “I have no regrets. I got to travel a lot.”
She also credits the people around her for making her years at The Woods at Cedar Run especially meaningful. “The best thing about living at The Woods is the friendliness,” Clemens said. “From the day I moved in, everyone spoke to me.”
That same warmth has helped make her an important part of the community, and this year’s card shower offered a fitting reminder of how many people are happy to share in the birthday celebration.
More than 100 cards arrived for her 106th birthday, each one adding another personal touch to a milestone that few people ever reach. Mickey Clemens continues to make history of her own with one birthday, one story and now more than 100 birthday cards at a time.
For more information, contact Rachel Leanza, Community Relations Director, The Woods at Cedar Run at [email protected] or call 717.737.3373.
