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Stella Miers was celebrated by family at her Hunter’s Creek assisted living facility on her 100th birthday Friday. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON
The key to a long and healthy life, if you ask Stella Miers, is to watch what you eat, get some exercise, even if it’s just a walk, see the world, and get fresh air whenever you can.
Miers has it down pat – she celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family Friday at the assisted living facility she’s spent the last five years at near Hunter’s Creek. The occasion even came with a letter from President Joe Biden.
Stella was born Dec. 15, 1923 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and came out of the state’s foster care system. She overcame that, and being a single parent, to find success in the business world. She spent many years with IBM before joining an international banking corporation. She retired at age 60 as a vice president, eventually moving to Kissimmee to live near family.
“But they still called me to train new help,” she said. “IBM always gave people a chance. I really enjoyed working with them.”
While living in New York, Stella developed a love for baseball, becoming a Mets fan. At Friday’s gathering, her son Don reminded her of a Yankees game they attended together – May 14, 1967.
“Was that the day I got hit by a ball?” she joked, before being reminded it was the day famed slugger Mickey Mantle hit his 500th home run.
That love of the game led Don Miers to eventually work in Osceola County with the Houston Astros during spring training, and Osceola County Stadium as its “You could say Mom was a fixture at the stadium,” he said. “She loved to come see the Astros, and the Kissimmee Cobras (minor league team). She enjoyed going to the ballpark.”
In retirement, Stella became a travel buff, visiting Alaska – where she went whitewater rafting in her 60s, and remembers the family members who were with her – and much of Europe. In short, she’s packed a lot of life into these 100 years.
“I always wanted to be going somewhere,” she said. “Not many people make it to 100, right?”
So what’s next for Miers? “I’m gonna be 110!” She said with a heartly laugh. “I don’t know, I don’t worry about my age. It’s just a number.”
