Newhaven Court at Clearview resident Mary Acquaviva made pizzelles for residents and team members in December, a few months before her 100th birthday. Mary will become a centenarian on Sunday, March 10.
Newhaven Court at Clearview to celebrate senior community’s newest centenarian
BUTLER, Pa. – Mary Acquaviva quietly, yet intently scooped a teaspoon of batter out of a small container and placed it on a pizzelle iron as residents and team members at Newhaven Court at Clearview patiently waited for the Italian-style waffle cookies.
Acquaviva probably had followed this same routine thousands of times throughout her life when serving family members or customers at her once locally renowned pizza shop in Butler. What made this December baking moment so special is that Mary still served up pizzelles and smiles as part of a holiday-themed activity at the senior living community a few months before she turned 100.
A resident at Newhaven Court at Clearview, Acquaviva will celebrate her 100th birthday on March 10. This time, she will be on the receiving end of tasty baked goods, such as her birthday cake, which will be served to commemorate her becoming a centenarian.
“Mary is a special person and a popular member of our community,” said Krystle Pry, Executive Operations Officer at Newhaven Court at Clearview in Butler. “We appreciate her so much and it will be a pleasure to celebrate her 100th birthday with Mary and her family. Mary is fond of treating others to her homemade pizzelles. It will be nice to see her enjoying someone else’s baking skills on her big day.”
Acquaviva was born on March 10, 1924. She and her sister-in-law, also named Mary, operated Acquaviva’s Pizza, a mainstay for many area patrons who enjoyed slices of pizza at the eatery formerly located in the Butler neighborhood known as The Island. Eventually, she stepped away from the business to help care for her mother.
Mary Acquaviva and her late husband, Joe, had a marriage lasting 70 years. The Acquavivas had two children. Mary has five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren and another on the way.
“Mary is a sweet woman of Italian descent who is passionate about making sure everyone has full bellies at all times,” said Jamie Brown, LifeStories Director at Newhaven Court at Clearview. “Her cooking and baking skills were evident throughout her life, especially through the years when she and her sister-in-law operated a pizza establishment that was locally famous.”
Even as she approached her 100th birthday, Acquaviva still found her way into the kitchen at Newhaven Court at Clearview. In December, she used her pizzelle iron to make the thin, golden-brown cookies with a snowflake pattern in the center.
“That is a day that many of us will hold dear for the rest of our lives,” Brown said. “This incredible, 99-year-old woman – soon to be 100 – lovingly made us pizzelles in our community’s kitchen. She used the same recipe, the same love, care, and meticulousness that she put into making hundreds of thousands of pizzelles for her family and friends over the years. Her family even brought her pizzelle iron that she used for many years.”
“Our residents, team members and family were blessed to be part of a day that brought to reality Mary’s life story,” Brown said. “We were fortunate to take part in the legacy she and her family hold so dear and we are eager to celebrate her 100th birthday with Mary.”
As part of her birthday celebration, Mary plans to spend the day with her son Richard and his wife Joyce at their home in Cranberry.
For more information, contact Jamie Brown, LifeStories Director, Newhaven Court at Clearview, at jbrown@integracare.com or 724.477.8701.