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DeSmet Retirement Community Resident Celebrates 102 Birthday
GRACE MEYERKORD with her relatives at her 102nd birthday party at DeSmet Retirement Community.
Grace Meyerkord celebrated her 102nd birthday on Tuesday, May 18 at DeSmet Retirement Community, her home for almost five years.
Meyerkord was the guest of honor at the Community’s May birthday party, for all residents born in May, and was joined by four generations of family, including her nephew and his wife, Bob and Carole Meyerkord; her great niece, Sue Senseney; and her great great niece, Sarah Senseney.
The staff served her favorite meal: fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans, followed by birthday cake.
Meyerkord was born in Riverview, MO and remained in the North St. Louis County area her entire life. Growing up, Meyerkord loved bowling with friends twice a week and still remembers her average of 139. Her nephew, Bob Meyerkord, remembers most “all of her different cars; every one of them was a stick shift.” Her first car was a 1939 Chevy, and today she still “doesn’t trust an automatic.”
To support her family during the Great Depression, Meyerkord worked at Keasbey & Mattison in the sales department, and remained there for 43 years. The oldest of four siblings, she helped care for her father when he was unable to work and sick with cancer.
Her dentist asked her how she has managed to stay healthy for so long and Meyerkord jokingly said, “Good whiskey, straight.” Meyerkord lives very independently, maintaining her own apartment at DeSmet and taking a bus wherever she needs to go.
When asked what accomplishment she is most proud of, Meyerkord said, “Well I guess living to be 102 years old!”
