“I’ve never seen her without a color coordinated outfit on, makeup, and her hair done,” Megan Gresham-Ulrich, vice president of marketing and business development for Maple Knoll Communities, says of Beatrice Lea.
This longtime resident of Maple Knoll Village, located in Cincinnati, OH, just celebrated her 107th (yes, 107th!) birthday on October 2 – and is still going strong.
But, as she’d tell anyone, there’s more to her impressive longevity than fashion.
Ever since moving into Maple Knoll Village in 1997, Lea has been an active and hospitable resident throughout the community. For years, she helped serve communion on a regular basis in the chapel; she also worked as a facility ambassador, welcoming visitors and residents onto the campus.
Her dedicated service comes as no surprise, however, as philanthropy has always been a large part of Lea’s life.
It’s one of the many things that’s kept her going for so long, in addition to her philosophy to “try everything,” Ulrich explains. “She said there wasn’t anything that she hasn’t tried, and that has kept her young all these years.”
Overall, however, Lea is a warm and endearing energy to all who meet her.
“She’s been a joy to have on our campus,” says Ulrich. “She has gotten to know every employee, every resident; she never passes you without a smile on her face. It’s just been a pleasure to know her all these years.”