Family and fellow Philadelphia Protestant Home residents celebrated the 100th birthday of Mildred Jane Holmes Fleury.
Mildred was born on Jan. 20, 1926 in West Philadelphia. The Holmes family moved to Kensington, and young Mildred played the piano at Settlement Music School and spent summer days at the “Swimmo.“ Later, the Fleury family moved next door. One day, August “Sonny” Fleury saw Mildred Holmes and remarked, “Hiya, Toots.”
Sonny and Mildred dated, became engaged and, after his service in the Army during World War II, got married, a union that lasted 71 years until he died in 2017.
Mildred and her husband moved to Burholme in 1955, and later into the Protestant Home. Their family includes five children, three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild
Mildred, who attended Cooke Junior High and Mastbaum, retired after 17 years as a personal secretary at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Her volunteer work included 30 years as a cook for Aid for Friends.
Her birthday party took place in the PPH social hall three days before the big day. Guests were treated to hoagies, cake, cookies, snacks and Hershey’s Kisses.
Bill Conaway, PPH’s director of community relations, alerted local elected officials of the milestone. State Rep. Anthony Bellmon delivered a citation. Constituent service representative Kevin Rigney brought a citation on behalf of Sen. Tina Tartaglione. There was also a citation from the office of City Councilman Anthony Phillips and a plaque from the office of U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle.
Mildred is among 16 centenarians living at PPH. Four more residents will turn 100 this year, making the Protestant Home somewhat of a Fountain of Youth.
Mildred lives on the third floor of PPH, and the “Third Floor Choir” sang Ain’t She Sweet and bought a commemorative August and Mildred Fleury brick in her honor.
Asked the secret to living to 100, Mildred said, “a loving family behind me,” and, “I eat lots of chocolate.” ••
