Betty Beecher Day in Weymouth: A nurse's 'incredible life story' at age 100

WEYMOUTH – Elizabeth "Betty" Beecher, a retired nurse who at age 85 joined a vigorous 10-year campaign to recognize the role U.S. Cadet Nurses played during World War II, turned 100 on Monday to great fanfare at the retirement community where she lives.

"This is our first 100th birthday party for a resident of Faring Way," business manager Joyce Haglund said. "Betty, you are still a trailblazer."

Beecher lives in her own apartment at the community in Union Point.

Haglund, a Quincy resident, read citations honoring Beecher and describing her life – one from from Gov. Maura Healy and Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll, and the other from Weymouth Town Council President Mike Molisse and District 6 councilor John Abbott.

Mayor Robert Hedlund also issued a declaration declaring April 15, 2024, as Betty Beecher Day in the town of Weymouth. George Pontes, the director of veterans services who honored Beecher in 2018, read the mayor's proclamation.

3 granddaughters escort a centenarian to her grand party

The party had been planned for weeks and shortly before 3 p.m., some 125 people gathered in the Fairing Way dining area to await Beecher, who was determined to be present despite serious health problems.

Her three granddaughters, Lauryn Beecher, Nicole Orsini and Courtney Orsini, helped her to get ready upstairs in her apartment. Beecher, who is in hospice care, had chosen the embroidered floral jacket she would wear and arrived right on time as her granddaughters all escorted her into the room in her wheelchair.

When Christine Nash, the activities director, came over to greet her, Nash smiled, said, "Hello girlfriend!" clasped Beecher's hands and kissed her. "Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful," Beecher said softly.

The room was filled with Beecher's neighbors and friends; she greatly enjoyed playing cards twice a week and other social activities until about six months ago.

"I feel privileged to have met her. She answered the call."

Beecher's daughter, Susan Orsini, of Taunton; her son, Mark Beecher, of Braintree; and other family members sat with her in a roped-off area at the front of the dining room as short speeches were made. She was presented with a small birthday cake and the guests sang Happy Birthday.

Beecher was 92 when she moved to Fairing Way in November 2016. The average age then was 72. She inspired the younger residents because of the way she joined activities and sought out new friends. At age 93, she was exercising in classes and used the treadmill to walk a mile. She continued going out to do her volunteer work at Tufts Public Library.

"I feel so privileged to have met her," Bette Hanian, 76, a resident since 2017, said at the party.

Betty Beecher meets Gov. Baker 'Nicest person I ever met'

"She has such an incredible life story. The country needed her to help out during World War II and she answered the call. That is so meaningful to me, that she did that."

Hanian also said that Beecher had grown up during the Depression and "had to work for everything. She has a strong will and if she wants to do something, she is going to do it."

Beecher's neighbors Ellen Walsh, 77, and Joanne Gaffney, 83 have played cards – Rummikub and Whist – twice a week with her until several months ago.

"Life is what you make of it"

"She was so sharp mentally that she put us all to shame," Walsh and Gaffney said together. "She was an inspiration – she shows that life is what you make of it and if you want to stay involved, you will."

And even after she needed to stay in her apartment due to respiratory problems, Susan Dickey, the librarian at Fairing Way, continued to bring her books to read.

In that way, she also influenced younger generations. Jennifer Lyons, of Quincy, one of her caregivers from the Visiting Angels, said she had never liked reading books, until she began spending time with Beecher, who asked her to read to her.

"She made me fall in love with reading"

"She made me fall in love with reading and now I am reading books all the time," Lyons said.

Her other caregiver, Ellen Teahan of Norwell, who was also at the party, described how Beecher's determination and drive, her love of life and her strong will to keep going and stay in touch with people made her extraordinary.

The speakers gave brief summaries of a long, event-filled life. Beecher was one of the first babies born at the new Weymouth Hospital in 1924. She grew up in Rockland, graduated from Rockland High School in 1942, enrolled at the Massachusetts Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, and on July 1,1943, joined the new U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps.

She served until the war ended in 1945. The Cadet Nurses are now credited with playing a critical role during the nation's civilian nursing shortage during the war and preventing the collapse of the nation's health care system. They also elevated the status of women and the nursing profession.

While she was working as a public health nurse at Brighton Marine Hospital, Beecher met her husband, Harry Beecher, a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps. They married and raised two children.

Beecher also worked as a nurse in the Braintree schools for 15 years, retired briefly and then had a third career in occupational health at the Armstrong Company in Braintree.

When she did retire for good, she enjoyed cruising all over the world with her husband. They were married for more than 60 years.

Ann Marie Jaworski, the independent living director at Fairing Way, paid tribute to a life "of wisdom and resilience:

"You have been a beacon of hope and strength and you now embrace each day with grace and gratitude."

Beecher has received some 150 birthday cards in the past week. Her daughter Susan said she still has more than 50 left to open and is reading a few each day.

. .

.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Former Cadet Nurse Betty Beecher turns 100 in Weymouth on her own day