Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club Hosts 90th Birthday Celebration

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

The Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club invited Palisadians to gather virtually and celebrate those who recently turned 90 or older at the return of its 90th Birthday Celebration after a one-year hiatus on Thursday evening, November 18.

PPWC members Lyn Gardner and Kat Holland kicked off the event, which was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, by singing tunes to the accompaniment of a ukulele; the duo also invited attendees to sing along. The musical performance was followed by words from PPWC President Kathleen Later.

“The Woman’s Club celebration of our 90-year-old neighbors started in 1996, and its tradition is carried on by our club members, of which there are over 100 today,” Later said. “We want to honor and give our thanks to all of our 90 … year olds who live here in the Palisades. Your contributions to our lives are so tremendous and we appreciate you so much.”

Later shared that this year’s festivities were not limited to just the Zoom gathering. Palisadians were gifted a special food package, complete with a turkey pot pie, fresh soup and pumpkin bread prepared by K Bakery Eatery + Bakeshop, along with a birthday cupcake, card and commemorative collectible coffee mug.

She thanked Fay Vahdani and Robin Weitz for helping deliver and organize the event, and the students at Seven Arrows Elementary School for making the birthday cards that were included in the package.

Pacific Palisades Historical Society Board Member Bill Bruns was invited to speak and share some history of the event. He said the tradition began 25 years ago in Dr. Margaret Jones-Kanaar’s backyard on Via De La Paz.

“She was celebrating her 92nd birthday, and she wanted to have a big party and she wanted to invite a lot of people,” he said. “We put a story in the Post and told all the 90-year-olds in town to show up or let us know, and about … 30 people came … Eddie Albert was the honorary mayor that year and it was great. He showed up and he posed for pictures with everybody and it was really special.

“It’s really become one of the best traditions in our town, and I’m happy to participate ever since. Maybe I’ll attend as a 90-year-old someday.”

As part of the tradition, the event honored the longest married couple, and this year there were two. The first couple was Sarah and Irving Moskovitz, who have been married for 74 years and are both 94 years old. Irving shared that he met Sarah one week after he was discharged from the Army—she was his cousin’s roommate at UCLA. They moved to the Palisades in 1969.

The second longest married couple was Carrie and Richard Z. Meyer, who have been married 55 years and came to town in 1975.

June Capp was celebrated as “the queen” of the event, setting the record for the eldest woman to attend the party at 107 years old. She moved to the Palisades in 1953 and raised three children.

George Coleman, who is 96 years old, was also honored at the event as the eldest male to attend. He and his wife have lived in the Palisades since 1979.

Attendees shared their thanks with PPWC following the festivities.

“My endless thanks for sharing and caring with me in celebrating my being over 90 years old,” Beatrice Prentice said. “You have made me so happy.”