The Region - News from May 20, 1986

“I’m thrilled, but I don’t feel old,” said Beth Bodway, 92, after beating nearly 20 other contestants vying for the title of Mrs. Pasadena. Bodway has lived in Pasadena her entire life--longer than anyone--but don’t tell her she’s a little old lady who trots around in tennis shoes. “I don’t wear tennis shoes,” Bodway said when asked about “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena,” the 60s surf-rock song by Jan and Dean that made the city synonymous with little old ladies. “In fact, I’m allergic to rubber, so I couldn’t wear them even if I wanted to.” Bodway, who was born in her grandmother’s house in 1893, was selected Mrs. Pasadena by the city’s Centennial Committee. The sole criterion was how long the contestants had lived in Pasadena. The honor is nice, Bodway said, but her friends have started treating her differently since they discovered her true age--a secret she had kept from them for years.