91°F
weather icon Clear

Davidson celebrates 100th birthday at senior center

With childlike incredulity, Gwen Davidson was surprised over and over Friday afternoon as friends at the Senior Center of Boulder City stopped by to wish her a happy 100th birthday.

“Am I really 100?” she asked repeatedly.

“Yes. Happy birthday,” was the reply.

“I feel 55,” she said.

Davidson was the guest of honor at the center’s monthly birthday celebration. Each cupcake served at lunch had a golden 100 decoration on it and she sat at a table draped in a special tablecloth with silver balloons spelling out 100 as the centerpiece.

Davidson, who was born June 25, 1922, in England, came to the United States shortly after World War II. She met her American husband, Robert Davidson, while he was working as a civilian engineer and she was working as a secretary to the chief engineer on base during the war.

She recalls that her late husband, who died in 2000, was six months younger than her and that she thought he was “too young” for her.

Davidson grew up near London and said she will never forget the night when the bombing started in the city.

One day they discovered an unexploded bomb in her father’s cabbage garden, forcing the family to evacuate.

“He was so mad,” she said about her father’s reaction to the destroyed cabbages.

She and Robert Davidson married in England and then traveled by ship to the United States, coming through the St. Lawrence Seaway. They lived in several U.S. cities before settling in Boulder City about 60 years ago.

Davidson worked in the old Boulder City Hospital and then transferred to the new hospital before joining the staff at the National Park Service where she was secretary to the chief engineer.

She is an avid Scrabble player and meets twice a week with a friend to play.

Davidson said she also likes to play tennis and played every day for many years. She said she “loves to hike” — though she doesn’t recall hiking when she was in England — and would regularly go on 15-mile hikes near Carson City, where she lived during the spring hiking season. When she had to cut back, her trips were only 7 miles.

Davidson split her time between Northern and Southern Nevada for several years and returned to Boulder City as a full-time resident about five years ago.

Though she misses her mountain hikes, she takes her rescued Chiweenie, Little Girl, on walks about three times a day.

She was accompanied at Friday’s celebration by Scott and Kim Davidson of Boulder City, her son and daughter-in-law, and grandson Anthony Davidson.

Davidson has three children, Sally, Bob and Scott; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Though she has lived in the United States most of her life, she still has some ties to England and received a special birthday message from Queen Elizabeth.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
BCHS: 2023 and beyond

Boulder City High School saw 125 students graduate Tuesday night at Bruce Eaton Field. Dozens of students have received college scholarships totaling just under $7.5 million. It was the school’s 82nd graduating class.

BCHS grad sees business grow during and following pandemic

During the pandemic, many had to find creative or alternative ways to put food on the table. For Sara Ramthun, she found not only a way to put food on her table but on the table of many others as well.

Outdoor shade can cool, bring energy efficiency to home

We all know cool shade is a hot commodity during summer months. The amount of shade around our home determines whether outdoor living spaces are something we can enjoy as days get longer and sun gets stronger. Besides making us feel more comfortable, shade can help keep the sun from fading or damaging our yard furniture, plants, equipment, etc. Shade abutting a home can reduce heat gain, making indoors cooler and more energy efficient.

Grad Walk: Emotional tradition marches on

Garrett Junior High Principal Melanie Teemant may have summed it up best when she asked, “Where else do you see this?”

BCHS Grad Night: A tradition for 33 years

It’s one of the most memorable nights in a young adult’s life. But it can also be one of the most tragic.

Hall makes a musical journey from Charleston to BC

When the 2023 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced last week, one newer resident of Boulder City had more of an emotional stake in the outcome than most.

Mike Pacini: The voice of Boulder City

Whether it’s in the grocery store aisle, sitting on the dais of City Council or as the voice of Boulder City, Mike Pacini is easily one of the most recognizable people in town.