Angeline Scalia shares secrets of a long life

by Alice E. Gerard
Grand Island Dispatch, April 4, 2008

On Saturday, March 29, Angeline Scalia was completely surprised by approximately 20 family members and friends who, unbeknownst to her, planned a celebration of her 100th birthday.

Scalia, who is recovering from pneumonia at St. Francis Home of Buffalo, said, “I didn’t know that they were all waiting for me. My son, Paul, was there and his three boys, Matthew, Scott and Doug.”

It was Paul who went to Scalia’s room to bring her to the party, held in a conference room. “My son came into the room. He said, ‘Mom, we have to go downstairs.’ I said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘You’ll find out.’ So we go in the room and everybody is there.”

Other friends who came to the party included Scalia’s best friend of 58 years, Winifred “Winnie” Zarbo, and her daughter and son-in-law, Penny and George Panepinto.

“They (the Panepintos) were very gracious, and I was so surprised to see George because he is a very busy man. He took time out to be with us,” Scalia said.

When asked how she felt to be 100 years old, Scalia said, “It doesn’t feel like I’ve lived that long. Fortunately, all of my family and friends are with me. I can still read and write and keep in touch with everybody.”

Scalia, who said that her throat was sore and she couldn’t eat much of the vanilla cake with a custard cream frosting, shared the cake with staff at St. Francis Home. “I had one of the girls here give everybody a big piece to take home.”

At the party, Scalia shared stories of the travels that she and her husband, Leonard, took after his retirement in 1972.

“We went to Africa. We went to Barcelona, Spain; to Gibraltar,” Scalia said. “On one trip, we went back to my parents’ home town, about 20 miles outside of Rome. We saw the home where my parents lived before they came here. It was very exciting. The old home is still there. I have a cousin living there, in the home. Her name is Josephina. She’s still there. She came here one time. When she came here, everything surprised her.”

Scalia’s secret of living a long life involves having a positive attitude and regular exercise. “Don’t be a downer. Be upbeat. Look around. You’ll see people worse off than you,” she said. “You make the best of every day. Don’t sit around all day, doing nothing. Just don’t be a lazy bum. Keep moving.”

Scalia lived on Grand Island until the summer of 2007, when she moved into St. Elizabeth’s Home of Lancaster, which she described as a “group home.” Scalia said that she made the decision to sell her house and move there after her son expressed concern about her living alone.

She said that she treasures her 57 years on the Island. When she moved there in 1950, she said, “It was beautiful. It was more like the country. Now, it’s like the city. But it still has that country atmosphere. The people all know each other. It’s very nice.” She added that she still has ties to the Island, as Winnie and her family live there. “My grandson, Matthew, just moved to the Island, not too long ago. I asked him how he liked it, and he said that he loved it.”

Reflecting back on her 100 years, Scalia said, “I am very thankful for all of the kind people around me. I’ve had a good life.”