Meway & Millis November 2017

Page 6 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com November 2017
On This Earth for 103 Years
Doris Wilber, Medway’s Oldest Resident
By Judith Dorato O’Gara
Doris Wilber just celebrated a
birthday. That might not sound
significant, until you understand
that she was born on October
21st, 1914. At 103 years old, Doris
Wilber, who’s lived in Medway for
over 82 years, is the Town’s oldest
resident. And she’s a peach.
“I got married when I was 21,”
says Doris, who was married for
over 63 years to Earl William Wilber.
She grew up in Framingham,
but moved to Medway the night
of her wedding.
“After the reception in our
house, my uncle drove us to Medway,
and we came here at eleven at
night. It was my honeymoon cottage,”
laughs Doris. “Four rooms,
no complete bathroom, and $16
a month rent. We lived there for
18 years with no hot water. You
used to have a big, round, tin tub,
and you’d have to heat your water
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to take a bath,” she remembers.
“There were no paper diapers, either,
and we couldn’t afford them
if they had them.”
Doris and Earl had five children,
and although they sadly lost
their first child, a boy, the couple
raised four children in Medway, in
their birth order, Suzanne, Richard,
Linda and Donna. Now, says
Doris, she’s the grandmother of
nine and the proud great grandmother
of 17.
“They’re all wonderful, but
they live far away, most of them,”
she says, “but thank the Lord for
the telephone.”
Neither Doris, nor her husband
Earl, ever drove nor owned a car.
Not getting her driver’s license, says
Doris’ youngest daughter Donna,
is the centenarian’s one regret.
“We walked everywhere,” says
Doris, who worked until 87 years
old cleaning houses. “Most of the
places came and picked me up,
and we had wonderful friends,
wonderful, and I still have a couple,”
says Doris, who even got
weekly rides to the supermarket,
where she could find her favorite
cinnamon doughnuts.
“I eat a doughnut every day,”
says Doris, who has a love for great
foods and announces she’s never
been on a diet in her life, “and I
keep happy and smiling and like
people, enjoy people, especially
old ones.”
She loved to cook, too. Until
a few years ago, says Donna, her
mother would make “the best
cakes you ever had in your life,
with the best frosting in the world.
Although Doris loves to eat, she
didn’t eat fast food, says Donna.
“Every single night, we had a
home cooked meal,” she says.
Cooking at home didn’t mean
Doris stayed there. “I love to go!”
she says, whether getting out during
the day for outings with friends
or traveling greater distances by
car or airplane.
Doris also remains active in the
Rosalie Rebekah Lodge, of which
she’s been a member for 73 years.
“I feel it has kept her alive,”
says Donna. “She’s met so many
people and had so many friends.
It’s taken her places (such as the
Rose Bowl).
“I still go to the meetings,”
says Doris. “I don’t have a car,
and I can’t walk there anymore,
but I have a couple, Walter and
Carolyn Johnson – every second
and fourth Monday, they pick me
up,” she says. “I enjoy being with
people and going to the meetings,
and the refreshments are always
good, although people don’t bake
like they used to.”
Doris also gets out to play cards
once a week. These days, she loves
Uno, she says. Her friend picks her
up, and “after 4 o’clock we go and
have a feast somewhere. I have a
wonderful time,” says Doris.
Times have changed, says
Doris. She can’t seem to find too
many programs on TV these
days, although she likes watching
people win on a good gameshow.
She also says drivers seemed
more courteous years ago, and
“the dear men, they don’t remove
their hats anymore.”
Jeans are also a trend that’s not
for her.
“I don’t like dungarees, and
now they wear them to church,”
says Doris. “I like good old fashioned
house dresses. You used to
put on your house dress and an
apron.” Current swimsuit trends
are a bit shocking as well. “They
might as well walk around naked,”
she laughs. Music has changed,
too, and Doris prefers the crooners
of yesteryear to today’s tunes, with
her favorite being “Pennies from
Heaven.” Her husband Earl, she
says, was a wonderful singer.
“I still love the old music,” says
Doris. “Sometimes, when I go up
to my Suzanne’s, (we listen to) old
records.”
Still, of her life at the Medway
senior housing, where she’s lived
for 15 years, Doris says, “I love
every minute.” She has advice
for those who are looking for her
youthful secret.
“Don’t ever think of leaving,”
says Doris, who has outlived many
beloved friends and family, including
her beloved cat, Blackie.
“You’ve got to think positive. I
have a friend, Rita Fahey. I talk
to her every day, and she’ll say,
‘Doris, all our old friends are gone.
I hope you thank the Lord every
day.’ I say, ‘Rita, I do.’”
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