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Cohen Home Centenarian Offers Advice For Living

This spring, The Cohen Home will be celebrating a special birthday. Mildred Bauer, one of the original residents of The Cohen Home, will be turning 100 years old.  Prior to the opening, she lived in the old Louis Kahn Group Home in Morningside for four years. Mildred enjoys spicy food, dirty jokes, and playing Scrabble. "She knows what she likes and what she doesn't, and she won't hesitate to tell you," says Executive Director Janet Sugarman.

Mildred Mariamson was born in New York in 1904. She fell in love with Jerome Bauer, and the couple married in 1924. Mildred remembered their honeymoon in Atlantic City. "It was where everyone went in those days." Mildred and Jerome were living in Boston when their son Robert was born. "Giving birth to Bobby was my greatest accomplishment," Mildred kvells. "Now I have four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren to be proud of as well."

While living in Florida, she opened a maternity clothes store. "My initials are MB and I was living in Miami Beach", remembers Mildred. "I thought it would be clever to call my store Mothers Beautiful." Ethel Kennedy, wife of Senator Robert Kennedy, was one of her repeat customers. Mildred continues to keep up with the news by reading the Atlanta Journal-Constitution every day, and loves to look at the latest styles in the fashion magazines. She is a loyal Democrat, and a big fan of the Kennedys and Bill Clinton. 

When asked about the most memorable thing she has done in her life, Mildred talked about a donation she made to Brandeis University. "I gave them a copy of the Magna Carta," she recalls. Her most recent honor was giving a speech at the Grand Opening of The Cohen Home, two years ago. She likened the Home to a four-star hotel.

Mildred says she never thought she would make it to 100 years old, although longevity appears to be in her genes. Her mother lived to be 97. What is Mildred's advice to anyone interested in living a long, happy life? "Stay away from the pills," she says. "My father was a pharmacist, and he always told me to stay away from the pills."

The Cohen Home is one of Federation's local beneficiary agencies, and received an allocation of $111,704 in FY04.