100 Years! Coronado Centenarians share wit, wisdom and the pursuit of well-being! Featuring local centenarians:
Peggy Price, 100 Years
Lois Rosania, 100 Years
Lois Land, 100 Years
Ethel Keyes, 103 Years,
Treasure Zimmerman, 103 Years
Join us to be inspired by the experiences and knowledge of our ageless centenarians! They will be joined by Cynthia Mendolia, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Leigh Ann Webster, Executive Director for the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching.
Peggy Price: Born December 23, 1922 in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Garden City, LI, NY. She received her BA from Stanford University in 1945 and MA in education from Columbia Teacher’s College 1947. Peggy taught second grade in East Northport, LI before moving to Monterey to teach second grade and one year of kindergarten. She married LT Arthur Price June 1952 and lived in Coronado 1952-1954. They returned In 1964 and have lived here ever since, except for one year in VA. All six of her children graduated from Coronado High School, where she was a substitute and summer school teacher for over 30 years. She is an avid volunteer, volunteering at the library for 25 years and is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts – board member, chairman of nominating committee, outdoor consultant, troop leader, trainer, backpack trainer and leader. She’s also a Red Cross first aid instructor and a Certified National Track & Field Official (which is one of her favorite volunteer opportunities.) She likes to read, go to movies (with captions), work out, yoga, walk the neighborhood and take trips to the mountains and desert.
Lois Land: Born in Los Angeles and grew up in Sierra Madre, CA. Moved with parents to Coronado in 1940. Graduated from San Diego High School in 1941. Worked as a bookkeeper for Coronado Transfer and Storage for a short time until I started working for Consolidated Aircraft, San Diego, as a Planner. I married Ens. Paul Lowthian of Coronado, a Navy pilot. He was killed in a plane crash off the coast of England in 1943 six months after we were married. Following that I again worked in the Civilian Personnel Office at NAS North Island until I married Lee E. Land, Jr. of Coronado in 1951. I became a stay at home Mom for Barbara and Laurie. During that time I became a Member of the Coronado Woman’s Club and am now the longest standing member. I started playing bridge again and enjoyed being a part of the 20/30 Club wives social group. I was a member of the Floral Assoc. and worked in many flower shows. I worked with the Girl Scouts and was Cookie Chairman for Coronado one year. When the girls went off to college, I started working again in the personnel office at North Island. I retired in 1985 to join my husband who had already retired. My life time dream of foreign travel became true. Fortunately, my husband shared my dream. We traveled the glove on cruses and by ourselves. Favorite trips – camera safari in Africa, climbing Great Wall of China and visiting Switzerland several times. I lost my beloved husband in 2013. We were married for 62 years. In addition to my daughters, I have one grandson Ryan Hahn of Covina, CA. I am a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and friend of Sharp Coronado Hospital Foundation. I am an eleventh generation member of the Mayflower Society, a heredity organization of individuals who have documented their descent from one or more passengers on the Mayflower.
Lois Rosania graduated early from Mankato State University. “Pearl Harbor happened when I was a sophomore in college, and all the men were leaving. I decided I wanted to get out early, so I graduated in 1943. I was almost 20.” She taught in Albert Lee, MN, before heading to California with a friend to teach in San Bernardino. Next came San Diego where life changed forever. When the submarine USS Volador arrived in San Diego, “I met my Prince Charming.” She jokes, “I met him the second day he was here, so I didn’t give him a chance to meet anybody else.” She became Hugh’s Navy wife in 1948. His career took her to Norfolk, New London, Long Beach, Pearl Harbor and Coronado. She became a teacher, volunteered as a docent at the Hotel del Coronado, and is involved in her church. Her advice to the aging generation is to continue having a plan each day, stay active. To the younger generation, she gives financial advice, “Start saving early. When you’re young, it’s easier.”
Ethel C. Keyes was born December 9, 1919 in Vancouver, Canada and moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was three. Ethel went to Belmont High School, and later went to Metropolitan Business School in LA. She met her Naval Flight Officer husband, Tommy Keyes, through friends. Tommy proposed by letter from Panama and they married January 1, 1943. After a time apart due to his station in Panama, they reunited and moved to many locations together including the Philippines, Washington, DC, Pax River, Maryland, Norfolk, Virginia, the Dominican Republic, Newport, Rhode Island, Coronado, and Colorado. She was a Coronado realtor, President of the Republican Party for two yrs, and Vice President for two years. She rented store fronts during elections to sell things to promote the party. She learned how to play bridge at 13 years old and continued to play until she was almost 100. Ethel loves good nutritional food and has enjoyed cooking over the years. She was a swimmer, going to the Naval Base to swim. Ethel has walked around the block am and pm for many years, also walking and wearing out three Rollators. Ethel is an animal lover and has always had a dog. Ethel is an Inspiration to Everyone, Great Neighbor and Friend.
Treasure Zimmerman is one of eldest of our Centenarians, at 103. Treasure had her name long before she was born. Her mother’s friend had a baby named Treasure and her mother always loved that name and named her new baby Treasure as well. And what a treasure she is, a published author, passed the bar exam, a champion pilot with the Powder Puff Derby, an explorer, wife and mother, pet lover, and a PE teacher. Until her 99th birthday Treasure drove a Jaguar XKE convertible to our local military base for groceries. Also, demonstrating her adventurous spirit, driving herself to discover mountain country on horseback. Treasure has embraced the best of times, survived and learned from the most challenging of times. A true treasure, she plans to share memories of earlier times during: the Depression, WWII, and some of her best of times as PE Teacher and licensed pilot!
This talk will be recorded and available for on demand viewing on the Library’s Facebook and YouTube pages following the event.
