Family and friends gathered on Sunday afternoon at a ballroom at the Radisson Hotel in Trevose to celebrate Charlotte Bowman’s 100th birthday.
Charlotte, who lives on Red Lion Road in Bustleton, was born on Oct. 19, 1923. She was all decked out in her favorite color, with purple nails and dressed in a purple sweater, pants, hair bow and sash.
Her six children were in attendance, and most of her six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren were there to celebrate with their Grammy.
Charlotte was raised in South Philadelphia and Strawberry Mansion, attending Bartlett Junior High School and William Penn High School for Girls until dropping out to care for her ill mother.
During World War II, she served as a yeoman (administrative assistant) in the U.S. Navy, based at Hunter College (New York).
She and her husband Barton, an Army veteran of World War II who died in 2007, raised their family in Logan.
Two of their children followed their parents into the armed forces, Michael for three years during the Vietnam War and Elaine in the Air Force.
At age 45, Charlotte returned to school at night at Ben Franklin to earn her GED.
In her career, she was a waitress at Linton’s in Center City and worked at the Center City Wanamaker’s and at Dairy Maid, a luncheonette in Logan.
Sunday’s party featured a photo booth with props, a balloon arch, food, a birthday cake and karaoke.
The guest of honor, using her walker, danced to Footloose and Copacabana.
The Party Times newspaper captured memories of 1923, when Calvin Coolidge became president following the death of Warren G. Harding.
Stamps were 2 cents, a loaf of bread was 10 cents and a gallon of gas and a movie ticket each cost 25 cents.
One of the top movies that year was Cecil B. DeMille’s silent The Ten Commandments.
Americans were singing along to Al Jolson’s Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo’ Bye!).
Others born in 1923 included Bob Barker, Rocky Marciano, Estelle Getty, Hank Williams Sr., lady wrestler Mae Young, Bum Phillips and Chuck Yeager. ••
