Teacher is still working at age 93
WEST CHESTER » Most of us at age 93 expect to be long retired and to kick back and relax — but not teacher Bernice “Nicki” Smith.
Two days a week, Smith still makes the train trek into Philadelphia where she teaches freshman English at the Community College of Philadelphia.
“It makes me happy to see that I can help students improve their writing,” Smith said. “I enjoy seeing students improve. I often ask them what they did in high school and oftentimes the answer is that they had fun.”
Her husband of 65 years, Howard Smith, died 10 years ago. The 40-year breast cancer survivor suffers from arthritis and had knees and hips replaced. She’ll say with a smile that at one time she was 5-feet, 7-inches tall but now measures in at just 5-foot, 4-inches. She is slim and trim and has never had to watch her weight.
Although the Ohioborn, former Bronx, Stamford, Conn., and 40-year Wallingford resident can’t swim, Bernice works out through a therapy program three days a week in the local YMCA pool.
So how does she continue still stay active?
Smith drinks whole milk, enjoys butter, cream, red meats and ice cream.
She smoked at parties and still drinks one martini per day.
“That one drink kills off disease. She’s never sick,” said her daughter, Laurie Grab. “Most 90-year-olds are lying down or sitting in a chair, but not swimming.”
The Bucknell University and University of Pennsylvania graduate said she enjoys people and only teaches two days per week because she wants to do other things.
She reads, engages in programs and is learning a foreign language. She is studying sagas concerning Vikings and Iceland, written in the Norwegian language.
“I go day by day,” Smith said. “I find it hard to think I’m 93.”