By Richard Kaufman
They say that age is just a number, but turning 100 is true cause for celebration.
Longtime Greenwich residents, Marion Pastore and Ruth Wilson, both recently celebrated their centennial birthdays last month. Amazingly, they were both born on the same day, March 12, 1918.
Marion Pastore was born at Greenwich Hospital on a Tuesday and was one of nine children. Her parents came over from Italy around 1900, and her father, Frank Caruso, a stone mason and contractor, built numerous houses in Greenwich.
Marion eventually married Anthony, Sr., in 1937, and they subsequently had three children.
The couple opened up Pastore’s Wine & Liquor on Hamilton Avenue, in 1946. Pastore’s son, Anthony, Jr., said that his parents would often help out the local Italians, who would come into the shop and write out their utility checks for the gas company since they were illiterate.
Marion worked at the liquor store until 1992, when it closed. Anthony, Jr., said his mother remained active at St. Roch Church in the years after the store closed, and plays a big part in the lives of her six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Anthony, Jr., hosted a birthday party for his mother at his house on Riverside Avenue a few weeks ago, and approximately 75 people came to celebrate.
In attendance was State. Rep. Fred Camillo, who happens to be Marion’s godson. Anthony, Jr., said his mother relishes the fact she’s been able to see Camillo grow up and become successful over the years. “She was instrumental in Fred’s life,” Anthony, Jr., said. “She feels blessed to see him now.”
But while many guests were quick to tell Marion what she’s meant to them over the years, Marion took the opportunity to tell them what they’ve meant to her. “This was great,” Anthony, Jr., recalls his mother saying.
“It’s terrific to still have her here,” Anthony, Jr., said.
Marion has lived in the same house since 1945 and two of her grandchildren live with her. Every Sunday, Anthony, Jr., has brunch with his mother and appreciates some of the traditions the family still carries on.
Anthony, Jr’s., daughter, Jessica Reynolds, picked up Marion’s family tradition of celebrating the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas.
“I’m very proud of that,” Anthony, Jr., added, noting that his mother was born a few hundred yards from Hamilton Avenue and has worked and lived on the same street all these years.
Ruth Wilson was born in Elizabeth, N.J., and moved to Greenwich with her sister in 1923 to live with their aunt in Cos Cob. Ruth attended Cos Cob School, Greenwich High School, and Danbury Teacher’s College.
Wilson began her career as a teacher at Cos Cob School in 1951. “My favorite thing about teaching was the kids,” she said. Fred Camillo was one of her students.
After 28 years, Wilson decided her teaching days were over. “I decided I wasn’t going to have any more homework,” she said. She started working for a marketing company on River Road, and eventually retired at the age of 80.
Wilson remains active with the Senior Center, and used to work with Meals on Wheels and the Red Cross blood bank. Wilson goes to Diamond Hill Methodist Church every Sunday, where she’s the chairperson of the Staff Parish Relations Committee.
Wilson celebrated her 100th birthday at the Cos Cob Firehouse, as well as at the Senior Center, with friends, family and her two children, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
“It was awesome,” Wilson said of her party. “It was a dream come true. It was so wonderful. I saw people I hadn’t seen in over 10 years.”
A lot has changed in Greenwich over the past 100 years. Wilson recalls a very different Greenwich Avenue.
“You can’t imagine [how much it’s changed]. We traveled in trolley cars on Greenwich Avenue. Where Valleywood Road starts, that used to be where the trolley cars passed eachother. And then [they were solo] until they passed each other again,” she said. “We did everything with trolley cars. In the winter, the trolley cars were closed. In the summer, they were open which was wonderful.”
Asked what the secret is to living such a long life?
“I don’t exactly know,” she replied. “You have to keep a positive attitude, and you have to try and keep healthy and laugh a lot.”
