Two notable events occurred on April 13th, 1914 in our local area: Buffalo lost to the Baltimore Terrapins in the first Federal League baseball game in the United States and Helen Paige Stanton was born in Greece, New York.
One hundred years later, the Federal League is as extinct as the passenger pigeon, but Helen is still going strong at Parkwood Manor in Macedon.
This lively, sociable centenarian has lived all of her adult life in Wayne County, arriving as the bride of Lester Stanton in 1938. The couple raised three sons and bought and worked farms in and around Marion, New York.
“I was the highest paid woman at Mobil in Macedon, as executive secretary to Howard Samuelson, who stayed on at Mobil after his run for governor of New York,” Helen says. “My pay scale was six dollars an hour Which is not a rate you could get away with nowadays!”
Until her retirement to Parkwood Manor three years ago, Helen was active in her church and in social groups both here and at her retirement home in Florida. She had interests in landscape painting, wood carving, and miniature doll house building.
“This woman is talented!,” says longtime friend and health aide Sharon Peets, “She used to sew all of her kids’ clothes — including their suits! Her doll-making skills are legendary. She’s one of those people who is incredibly creative.”
After her retirement from Mobil, Helen and Les moved to a home in Florida, where they maintained their active lifestyle. They golfed (Helen was famous for their golf club’s only hole in one) and travelled the world, from Alaska to Europe.
Helen has slowed down just a bit, now that husband Lester and youngest son David have passed on. She is comfortably living her apartment in Macedon. She is surrounded by her loving family: sons Bob and Paige Stanton; their wives Helen and Mary; seven grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
The family will host her one hundredth birthday party on the big day, “and then,” Helen says, “I’ll look forward to my hundredth and first!”