Photos by Matthew Stockman
More than 60 of the town’s 90- and-over residents attended the 22nd annual birthday luncheon in their honor on June 2, hosted by the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club at its nicely remodeled clubhouse.
Chaired by Fay Vahdani (owner of Luxe Home Healthcare), the free event included a tasty meal donated by Vittorio Ristorante in Marquez and Atria Senior Center, music by pianist Marie Captain, vintage songs by The Oceanaires and a performance by salsa dancer Crizam Carlos and his partner.
Lisa Cahill, City Councilman Mike Bonin’s field deputy, brought special certificates for the six centenarians in the room.
The oldest honoree (by one week) was June Capp, 104, who was born on May 17, 1914, and has lived in the same house on Toyopa since 1954. Next was John Danley, 104, who moved here with his wife Shirley, also in 1954. Then came Phyllis Genovese, 103, who owned The Letter Shop and was the first woman president of the Palisades Chamber of Commerce.
Next was Beulah Curry, 101, who lives at Atria Senior Center on Sunset, and two 100-year-olds: 64-year resident Alice Brown and Betty Lou Frick, a resident since 1940.
There were two 98-year-olds—Lois Eaton, who lives in the Highlands, and Lev Kline, a native of Norway. The 97-year-olds included Dorly Bern and Stella Staley, and the 96-year-olds were Judith Wexler, Patricia Minnick and Sonia Lirman (whose husband, Irv, is 95).
The Lirmans, who have been married 75 years, were the longest married couple in the room, followed by Sara and Irving Moskovitz (70 years), Col. Dick and Doris Littlestone (69 years) and Hal and Frances Oliver (57 years).
Co-Honorary Mayors Billy and Janice Crystal joined the festivities and placed special crowns on the heads of Capp and Danley, who were seated at his table.
“I’m very honored to be sitting at the kids table,” Crystal quipped.
The keynote speaker was Bill Bruns, advisor to the Palisades News, who noted that the luncheon tradition started in 1996 in Dr. Margaret Jones-Kanaar’s backyard on Via de la Paz. “She was celebrating her 92nd birthday and wanted to have a big party for fellow 90-year-olds,” Bruns said. “Margaret hosted the lunch until 1999, when the Jun- ior Women’s Club [now the Woman’s Club] stepped forward.”
The event’s major sponsors included Luxe Home Healthcare & Hospice, Atria, American Legion Post 283, Michael Edlen (Coldwell Banker), Vintage Grocers, Bella Mar Memory Center, Julia Winter (My- ofunctional Therapy), Ron Vinje, Rony Shram, Scott Schaffer, and UCLA Health Pacific Palisades: Bernard Katz MD, Ronen Kalay MD, and Alison Kalani MD.
Vahdani said after the event,“In addition to our generous sponsors, I also want to thank our club members and community members who helped us run this event very smoothly.”
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