Brookdale resident celebrates milestone birthday
CUMBERLAND – It's not every day that someone turns 100, and Marie-Aline Scaramella is in awe of the milestone she's reached.
“I can't believe it. It just comes so naturally,” she said.
Scaramella has been living for the past three years at Brookdale Cumberland, and the assisted living facility held a 100th birthday party for her on Monday afternoon. She turned 100 on Feb. 28.
Dozens of Brookdale residents attended the party, which featured music from Larry Perlman on piano and John Curzio on bass. Scaramella loves the Patriots, so the team sent over a picture and some gifts.
There were balloons and a large sheet cake for Scaramella, who donned a sparkly pink princess tiara. Visiting Brookdale for the occasion was her only child, Jacquelyn Grant, and her daughter's husband, Raymond Grant.
Mayor Bill Murray was in attendance, and he read citations from both himself and Congressman David Cicilline.
Scaramella was born on Feb. 28, 1917 in Bellingham and grew up in Woonsocket as one of seven children.
As an adult, she said, “I worked at the office for a trucking company, which was owned by my dad, and had trucks going up to Boston every day to pick up wool that came in from Europe.”
The wool would then get woven in Woonsocket, she said.
She married her husband, now deceased, in 1941, and they raised their daughter in Woonsocket. Jacquelyn Grant said Scaramella is a wonderful mother, describing her as as a very sweet and not demanding type of person.
Outside of her job at the trucking company, Scaramella enjoyed painting watercolors.
Before moving to Brookdale, Scaramella lived with her daughter and son-inlaw for four years in Cumberland, and prior to that, she lived in Manville. And her key to longevity? Scaramella is not sure, and all Grant could say was that maybe it had something to do with all the walnuts and almonds she ate.