At 105, Glendale woman still has her sense of humor and ‘a wonderful life’
With three numerical candles on her birthday cake, Helen Broderson was surrounded by friends and the staff of her senior-living home as they celebrated her 105th birthday Wednesday.
The resident of Autumn Hills Health Care Center said she’s earned a nickname from her neighbors even though they’re not that much younger.
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“Everyone knows me, and sometimes they say ‘that old lady,’ but that’s OK,” Broderson said jokingly. “I can’t help it if I’m old, but that’s life.”
Born in Rockford, Ill., she moved to Glendale in 1959. Broderson said all she has to do is peer outside to be reminded of how much things have changed in the city.
“[Glendale] was a little city. Now it’s a big one, and I look out my window and see all these tall buildings,” she said. “We didn’t have those then.”
Broderson worked as a librarian for many years, including one year in UCLA’s geology department. After she retired, she volunteered at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital’s library.
She was also an avid organ player and reader, but she doesn’t get around to hitting the books much anymore because of her declining eyesight.
Despite hitting triple digits, Broderson still likes to keep busy and help with clerical duties around Autumn Hills’ offices, on top of staying social.
“[Broderson] puts all my paperwork together … five pages clip, five pages clip,” said Charlott Jester, the activities director. “She visits the other residents, her girlfriends.”
Broderson also likes being in the company of the male residents, which is something she said she’s always enjoyed growing up.
“I had lots of boyfriends,” Broderson said. “I always wanted to be with the boys all the time, and my mother didn’t like it … She wanted me to be a lady all the time. How are you going to make a little girl a lady all the time?”
She maintains a sense of humor without much effort, something her daughter can vouch for.
Sylvia Schutzman, who also lives in Glendale, visits her mother at the senior-living home at least three times a week and is often treated to stories about her upbringing.
“They’re stories which happen to be comical, about how I wasn’t the best child, I was very rambunctious and hard to take care [of],” Schutzman said.
As for the secret to living well past 100, Broderson shared two words of advice: “Friendly people.”
“I had a wonderful life and so many friends and so many boyfriends,” she said. “One of the secrets is having people care about you.”
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
