On Friday, Nov. 18, Hubby’s aunt turned 100. Throughout my 42 years as a reporter, I’ve interviewed my fair share of centenarians, but I don’t ever recall having one who celebrated for three days straight.

As we were driving to Denver that Friday the birthday girl was enjoying a steady round of callers and deliveries at her daughter’s home where she has resided since 2014. After the second doorbell ring she was summoned from her quarters to sit in the living room so she could enjoy the callers and floral deliveries. Before the day was over, she had received five different bouquets and plants.

Saturday evening nearly 40 family members gathered at Cousin Mitzi’s for a taco party with the main course cooked on a flat top grill by the folks who operate the Taco Nation taco truck.

This was the ultimate blending of cultures since Aunt Vaunia Miyoshi, whose Burbank family is very English, married into the Japanese community between Hershey and North Platte. So it was that the Burbanks and Miyoshis were enjoying tacos and margaritas with all the trimmings. Oh, and some of Mitzi’s famous brownies for dessert!

Both sides of the family are known for their sense of humor and some of the Miyoshi cousins couldn’t resist playing on the 100-year theme by gifting Vaunia with items that also were celebrating 100-year birthdays.

The famous Chanel No. 5 perfume made its’ debut in 1922 and a special bottle was opened to mark the occasion. The second package drew roars of laughter from those assembled as when Vaunia removed the wrapping paper a box containing a Maidenform brassiere was revealed. Yes, the modern bra form appeared in 1922, ending years of corsets and other female encumbrances that promoted a flatter figure. Founded by seamstress Ida Rosenthal, shop owner Enid Bisset and Rosenthal’s husband, William, Maidenform remains the number one American shapewear brand today.

We left before the Saturday party ended and the birthday girl was still going strong. Sharp of mind and fit because of daily walks and exercises, Vaunia quite often “forgets” to grab her cane, much to the consternation of her two daughters.

Sunday the second party held at a downtown Denver venue drew more than 100 family members and friends from the neighborhood, church and Vaunia’s book club. We munched on charcuterie boards and elegant desserts prepared by a catering friend of Hubby’s cousin. Decorations were in glittering fall gold and orange, fitting for a golden lady with a November birthday.

The conversations flowed and stories were shared about the Burbank-Miyoshi mixed race marriage. Vaunia and her husband, Miles, met through the Rural Youth organization after she arrived in Lincoln County as a Home Extension Agent in 1950. When the couple decided to marry in December of 1957, they had to travel to Denver for the wedding as at the time they couldn’t legally marry in Nebraska. Hard to believe in this day and age, but mixed-race marriages weren’t legal until 1965 in the Cornhusker State.

We give thanks for the opportunity to travel to Denver to celebrate our centenarian, who has been dubbed the family’s “Energizer Bunny” because she just keeps going and going.