Four centenarians at Fairview Commons are shown in December. First row: Mildred Barnum, Eva Simona, Nellie Hudson and Sophie Banach. Second row: Berkshire Community College ADN nursing students Trei Quagliano, Heather Corcoran, Nikki Kickery, Stacey Ellery, Wendy Koomson, Alyssa Dunham and Lindsay Curry.
GREAT BARRINGTON — This was their second pandemic, and not all would see their way out of it.
Of four centenarians at Fairview Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, three died amid COVID-19 lockdowns, and one, Eva Simona, is in hospice. But, before that, these four women got to know nursing students from Berkshire Community College who gave them comfort as they worked on a project to document the women's lives.
And centenarians Simona, Sophie Banach, Nellie Hudson and Mildred Barnum also moved those who took care of them, as staff have worked to "keep residents happy and healthy."
"They had lost all contact with their loved ones, and we were the only ones," said Terry Overby, a registered nurse and staff development coordinator at Fairview who instructed the students. "They were still vibrant and having meaningful activities."
Overby said she and nursing home staff are emotionally battered by the "never-ending story" that is the pandemic, and that getting to know these centenarians was a bright spot. She said that, even though the worst might be over, she still struggles to see lonely residents and, in some cases, lonely deaths.
"You come into the world with somebody, you should leave with somebody there with you," she said.
Before Banach, Hudson and Barnum died, their stories, which appear below, were compiled last fall by students Trei Quagliano, Heather Corcoran, Nikki Kickery, Stacey Ellery, Wendy Koomson, Alyssa Dunham and Lindsay Curry.
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"Eva Simona recently reached a new milestone in her life, turning 100 and becoming a Centenarian! Mrs. Simona was born July 9, 1920, and has been at Fairview Commons since June 2019. She lived in Housatonic, Mass., and was employed at a paper mill. She also found employment at Adam’s Supermarket.
"Mrs. Simona was married in 1943. She was married for 42 years. She had three siblings and all of them were girls.
"Despite being Italian, Mrs. Simona hates spaghetti! However, she loves her ravioli. Her favorite drink is coffee brandy, which she indulges in every night before bed. She also loves her chocolate ice cream.
"Mrs. Simona had one daughter. As she enters the new world of being a Centenarian, she is following in the footsteps of her mother who lived to be 102 years old. Mrs. Simona was her mother’s caregiver as her mother got older. She continues to love dancing and music and continues to be a fierce, but kind, woman. She is always a pleasure to be around."
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"Sophie Banach, 102 years old, has been at Fairview Commons for almost three years. Born in October of 1918, Mrs. Banach has now lived through two pandemics in her lifetime, the Spanish Flu and now COVID-19.
"Although COVID-19 restrictions are currently strict, that doesn’t dull her personality around the facility. She loves to sing and listen to music.
"Her daughter informed us that she has always been a very hard worker. Mrs. Banach was a laborer at Rising Paper Company.
"In her younger years while growing up in Housatonic, she played basketball in high school. Mrs. Banach had nine siblings and was very family oriented, having four children of her own. Some of her hobbies include going for walks, birdwatching, and looking for four-leaf clovers.
"In her later years she loved going to the casinos. She also loves to eat but always hated cooking. When it came to have a cocktail, she loved her gin and tonic in the summer and apricot brandy in the winter.
"Mrs. Banach was married for 69 years. She loved to play Pitch with her friends and it often got rowdy. She lived a simple life and loved poetry. Her favorite poem was Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. Mrs. Banach continues to be a ray of sunshine and, as always, urges everyone to “be happy, drive safe and wear a hat!”
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"Nellie Hudson recently celebrated her 100th birthday in September. She was born and raised in New Marlborough, Mass. She is the only surviving member of her family.
"Ms. Hudson was named after her grandmother. She loved church and Sunday school growing up. She was very close to her sister, Ester.
"Ms. Hudson learned how to play the piano as a child. While in school, her favorite subject was Sociology. She felt sociology helped her understand people. She worked in several factories in the area when she was younger. In later years she was a housekeeper at Geer Memorial hospital.
"She enjoyed cooking with her mother when she was alive, playing Bingo, and reading. Ms. Hudson came to Fairview Commons about six years ago and is very close with her Fairview family. She has close friends in the community that refer to her as a gentle and kind soul."
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"Mildred Barnum, Fairview Commons’ oldest centenarian, is 103 years old. Her birthday is June 3, 1917. She was a proud wife and mother of two sons, Bruce and Philip. She has numerous grandchildren. She was always devoted to her family and made them her main priority in her life.
"Mrs. Barnum lived in Housatonic, Mass. She was a factory worker at B&D. She has been a resident at Fairview Commons since 2015. Mrs. Barnum loves to play cards, knit, read, listen to music, and loves animals. She was always an active member of the United Methodist Church in her younger years. Mrs. Barnum continues to be a kind, sweet woman."