NEWARK – In the loving confines of Jeanne Jugan Residence, the Little Sisters of the Poor care for dozens of aging and ailing people who require resources, attention and love.
Among them is one resident who has been there the better part of two decades and is approaching a significant milestone in September.
Sarah Clark, who in her heyday was an active bowler, golfer and doting wife, mother and grandmother, celebrates her 100th birthday Sept. 28.
Clark said she was raised on a farm on Rockland Road where DuPont Country Club is currently located. She was married and had three sons, Craig, now deceased, Alan and James, who lives nearby his mother and checks in frequently. Other family members also keep tabs with the former health care worker.
“I met many interesting people,” Clark said of her working career, doing everything from working in health care to cleaning houses.
“I took care of rich people,” she said with a chuckle.
She has lived in and around Delaware her entire life and is a member of Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church in Talleyville where she was part of the choir and the women’s group.
She has traveled some and had many friends. “I did a lot of day trips.” Her work in health care helped her become familiar with various places. It also helped her decide where she would like to live.
“Having worked in many health care places and taking care of people, I knew where I wanted to be in my last years,” she said. “And it was here. I knew I wanted to live here.”
“The people who work here, no matter if they’re a volunteer or if they work here, they take very good care of us. All the people do. That’s why I wanted to be here.”
Golf and bowling were among her favorite hobbies along with knitting and reading. She said she played the DuPont courses. “I guess I was pretty good. I lived where they built the golf courses and I could go out and practice.
“I could walk to the front of my house and there was a tee there and you could try to hit over the creek to the green.”
She said she cleared the water most of the time.
“You take what you get,” she said in a statement any golfer would respect. “That’s been so long. Time just moves on. It does not wait.”
Nowadays she likes to join in on activities at the pleasant, comfortable residence where she has lived for 15 years. She especially likes events that are on the property outside or short trips.
“I just do what I can,” she said. “I was very active before I came here.”
Sarah said her husband was a pro bowler, but she didn’t like bowling with him because he took it very seriously. She enjoyed playing in women’s leagues.
“Oh, my Lord, that’s so long ago.”
Sarah’s friends at Jeanne Jugan Residence want to be sure her big day doesn’t go by without notice. Plans spread across three days include a gathering with members of the lay association at Jeanne Jugan, a party with volunteers and students from the Newman Center at University of Delaware and another get-together with family.
Sarah doesn’t want any birthday gifts because she says she has no needs, but she’s OK with it if people want to have a party.
“That’s fine, if you want to do that, but that’s a lot of work,” she said.
Does she have secrets to longevity she would like to share?
“I don’t have any tips,” she said. “Just keep moving. Things will get better.”
