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Celebrates
Mary “Lou” Rousseau with her 100th birthday cake and a state citation honoring her birthday. Courtesy photo.
Rousseau
turns 100
DAYVILLE — It is often said that it is not the years in your life that count, but rather the life in your years. Mary “Lou” Rousseau celebrated her 100th birthday Aug. 6.
Besides best wishes from family and friends, she received from State Senator Mae Flexer a citation of accomplishment on behalf of the Connecticut State Assembly. Born on Aug. 6, 1919, in Bennington, Vt., Lou has lived in New England for the greater portion of her life. She is a direct descendent of French painter Henri Rousseau, and is the older sister to Connie and Francis “Red” Rousseau, an active member of the Putnam Fire Department. Around the time of WWII her father and brother arrived in Putnam to join the labor force. During the war she worked at Pratt & Whitney herself, and then, in the peacetime tworked at American Optical as a press operator. She retired in 1979.
Lou and her lifelong companion Steve lived in Putnam together. They shared an apartment above a place known as “Henry’s Variety” and in one of life’s unfortunate turns, the store below was destroyed in a fire and along with it most of their personal belongings. In finding a silver lining, Lou has joked that this helped to eliminate a lot of things she had collected in excess. She and Steve were socially active in dance groups at local clubs, and the two enjoyed travelling frequently to Vermont and Massachusetts to spend time among family and to Germany to spend time among friends. According to her family she loved social occasions and relished every opportunity to bake a big, fancy cake for special celebrations. Her niece, Dale, recalled her aunt Lou went through extra efforts to secure enough gasoline to transport her wedding cake up to Vermont amidst the austere chapter of American wartime rationing. She added Lou represents the best of blue-collar America.” Her nieces and nephews returned the favor when they presented her with a birthday cake.
Administrator David T. Panteleakos said: “Mary Rousseau is such an inspiration to all of us here at Westview. The average age of our residents is 84 and we are always so excited every time we host a centennial celebration. Actually, if you add up all of the years of every resident here today, Westview residents make up 8,460 years of life. Happy 100th Birthday to Mary Rousseau!”
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