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Woodside woman celebrates 103rd birthday at Sunnyside Community Services Center

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Gertrude Dunseath, of Woodside, celebrated her 103rd birthday at the Sunnyside Community Services (SCS) Center on Wednesday, Sept. 21. (Photo by Adrian Childress)

A Woodside resident celebrated her 103rd birthday in good health with members at the Sunnyside Community Services (SCS) Center on Wednesday, Sept. 21. 

Gertrude Dunseath, whose birthday was on Monday, Sept. 19, was greeted with cake, balloons and flowers by members of the SCS center, located at 43-31 39th St., who sang “Happy Birthday” to her.

“She loves ice cream and cake, and we made sure she had her ice cream and cake. Everyone was excited to see her,” said Kerly Serrano, director of the Older Adult Center at SCS. 

(Photo by Adrian Childress)

Dunseath is a longtime member of SCS’s Center for Active Older Adults, where people aged 60 and older can enjoy a hot meal and participate in recreational, fitness and educational activities. Dunseath was born in 1919 in Manhattan and has been living most of her life in Queens.

According to Serrano, Dunseath said her secret to a long life is “enjoying yourself and having fun, and doing the things that you want to do.” 

“She keeps healthy by eating lots of ice cream and having high protein, and she says this often, but also not going to the doctor,” Serrano said, chuckling. “She’s always saying that she’s taking good care of herself, because who’s going to know her better than herself.” 

According to Serrano, Dunseath had asked her friend if the center was planning to celebrate her birthday. 

“’What’s going to happen? Are they celebrating my birthday?’ She was very much looking forward to it,” Serrano said. “Gertrude is a lovely person and was always very independent. I’ve known her now for many years, and that’s always been her motto — she appreciates everything that she’s done and has learned from everything that happened in her life.” 

(Photo by Adrian Childress)
(Photo by Adrian Childress)
(Photo by Adrian Childress)