Rozie celebrates 103rd birthday

“Que Sera Sera” is Rozie Remmy’s favorite song, which in Italian means whatever will be, will be.  Perhaps living by that motto is why Remmy has lived such a long life. 

On Dec. 23, Remmy, nurses and friends celebrated Remmy’s 103rd  birthday and she is likely to be the oldest resident in the Boundary County Extended Care Facility and perhaps in Bonners Ferry.

Remmy was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1906.  She married and had a daughter, and lost her husband many years ago.

Remmy has lived at the restorium since 2004 and has one grandson, who lives in Sandpoint. 

“I guess the good Lord doesn’t want me,” said Remmy.  “If he wanted me, he would have come and got me by now.”

Remmy lived on her own well into her 90s.  She loves her coffee and her songs.

Remmy makes her way with the help of nurses Darlene Widdifield and Jan Klopfenstein.  They help communicate with Remmy as her hearing is not up to par and they have learned her moods and habits.

“She loves to sing, and if you ask her to sing she will just start singing,” said Widdifield.

“Rosie is most of the time very sweet,” added Klopfenstein.  “Anytime anyone comes in, she will sing to the top of her lungs, and she surprisingly remembers  the lyrics and music so she must have known something about music in her day.”

Remmy said she laughs, cries and sings and that gets her through the day.