Norma Tapper celebrates 100th birthday at Providence Place
Apr. 18—Asked how she lived to be 100, Norma Tapper chuckled and then said laughter and patience help.
"You just keep going," Tapper said when telephoned at Providence Place Retirement Community in Butler Twp., where she plans to celebrate her birthday Sunday with her son and daughter.
Tapper grew up in Harrisburg, worked at Mary Sach's clothing store there and had a job with the state government.
She and her husband, Joel, met at a young people's league gathering at Ohev Temple in Harrisburg, where they held their wedding.
While newlyweds in 1944, they moved to Hazleton. Mr. Tapper and his parents started Tapper Supply, a plumbing supply warehouse still doing business at 148 S. Vine St., now known as APR Supply.
Asked to describe Hazleton in those days, Mrs. Tapper said "it was being built up, store after store. Very beautiful. People had jobs in the mines."
Mrs. Tapper didn't help at the warehouse, but she did work part-time at the Leader Store during holidays and promotions like the department store's Circus Days.
The Tappers were mainstays at Temple Beth Israel where Mrs. Tapper led a youth group, served in the Sisterhood and assisted at events like an art auction and a holiday open house.
She and her husband kept healthy into their 80s at the Hazleton YMCA/YWCA, where he taught children, she took line dancing and they swam together after Mrs. Tapper learned how in her 70s.
Mrs. Tapper also participated in book clubs at Hazleton Art League, planted flowers at City Hall and traveled far and wide with her husband.
Their destinations included Israel, Italy and Greece.
"You name it, I've been there, and I enjoyed every minute," she said.
"She's been on 18 cruises," Mrs. Tapper's daughter, Janice Bowman of Butler Twp. said.
A lover of music, Mrs. Tapper plays organ and piano, sang in Beth Israel's choir and was campaign secretary for Hazleton Concert Series, which she and her husband attended together before his death in 2003.
"We had season tickets," she said. "We enjoyed music, both of us."
"You dance and you sing," added Beth Major, who arranges entertainment at Providence Place and repeated questions that Mrs. Tapper couldn't hear over the telephone's speaker.
How else does she pass the time at Providence Place?
"I like to talk to the people and laugh and argue. I like it here because we have people to talk to," Mrs. Tapper said.
COVID-19, during the past year, interrupted socializing and visits with her daughter.
"I didn't like that," Mrs. Tapper said. "We're a close family. We like getting together."
Mrs. Bowman, her husband, Charles, and her brother, David Tapper, who traveled from his home in Florida, plan to host Mrs. Tapper's birthday party after lunch on Sunday.
"Rather than a big party, we're having a card shower," said Mrs. Bowman, adding that 30 or 40 friends have sent greetings to Mrs. Tapper at Providence Place. "All the residents are signing a big card, too ... She should be thrilled."
Contact the writer: kjack
son@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587
