MORGAN HILL
– While the earth shook and fires ravaged San Francisco in 1906,
Emelia Valverde was 2 years old and lived in Sinaloa, Mexico, just
north of Matzatlan. On Sunday, she celebrated her 102nd
birthday.
MORGAN HILL – While the earth shook and fires ravaged San Francisco in 1906, Emelia Valverde was 2 years old and lived in Sinaloa, Mexico, just north of Matzatlan. On Sunday, she celebrated her 102nd birthday.
It was mid-day. In the lobby of Morgan Hill’s Pacific Hills Manor, Valverde had just returned from having her hair dressed into small neat white curls on top of her head.
“I’m not special,” fumed Valverde.
Her hands waved away the attendant who was trying to pin a corsage to her blue sweater jeweled with white beads that matched her walnut-sized earrings.
“I am a Special Person” read the writing on the purple corsage.
Two years ago, Valverde left her Daly City apartment to take up residence in Pacific Hills Manor, a long-term care facility, after she injured a leg in a fall.
Now she shares a room with three others. Her bed rests next to the window that faces trees and St. Catherine’s Catholic Church that she sometimes attends. Across the room, sits her television and a few other personal items.
Valverde said she doesn’t care about her birthday or that the Manor is nice and that she has a room with a view.
“What is the big deal about my birthday?” asked Valverde as she adjusted her hearing aid.
She looked at her two great nieces, who visit her daily, and began speaking in English, then switched to Spanish when they suggested having a celebration for her.
“I don’t want a party,” said Valverde.
Valverde’s parents came from Spain to Mexico. She moved by herself to San Francisco in 1926 to live with a cousin and was married two years later. She miscarried the only baby she would ever know.
Despite not being able to hear as well as she used to, the spunky and spry Valverde talked about her youth as a Mexican-American married to a Greek grocery store owner and how her seamstress work kept her going after a divorce.
“If only he could see that I am still kicking,” laughed Valverde of her late husband whom she divorced more than twenty years ago.
Today, Valverde moves around with a walker. She said she misses being able to walk from her apartment to go to the bank, market and other stores.
“I just want my apartment back,” said Valverde.
Her great nieces often suggest taking her to visit Daly City, to play bingo or to go Reno, her favorite fun things to do but, they said she always finds an excuse not to go.
Valverde attributes her longevity to religion: She is a devout Catholic with a strong faith in God.
As for diet, Valverde never snacks and she has never smoked or taken a drink of alcohol.
Great-niece Lourdes Marquez said her tough nerves and feisty character will keep her around a long time.
“If I could come back again, I would love to eat whatever I want to eat, especially good food,” Valverde said.
