5 minute read
FEATURE
FEATURE “Be busy, be positive, be active”
Oxnard resident celebrates 102nd birthday
by Mike Nelson
On Nov. 30, 1920, Warren G. Harding was preparing to succeed Woodrow Wilson as President of the United States. In St. Louis, Missouri, Virginia Clara Jones was born, two decades before she would become known to the world as Virginia Mayo, a star of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
And half a world away, another baby girl, Saturnina Rosete, was born in the Philippines on what soon became known as Andres Bonifacio Day, honoring the founder of the secret society that launched the Philippine Revolution of 1896 against the Spanish Empire.
Bonifacio, Harding, Wilson and Mayo are long gone. But Saturnina Rosete Manglicmot is still with us, having celebrated her 102nd birthday a few weeks ago at the Regency Palms Senior Living home in Oxnard, surrounded by family, staff and friends. Oxnard Mayor John Zaragoza was also in attendance, and he presented the honoree with a Certificate of Commendation. Manglicmot was also the recipient of birthday wishes from U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
Don’t let her frail appearance deceive you, say those who know her best.
Admittedly, Manglicmot is not as busy as she once was; age-related factors and pandemic restrictions have relegated her activity to a minimum. Still, as one of the last surviving members of what Tom Brokaw famously labeled “The Greatest Generation,” she is a model for anyone aspiring to live a long, productive and fulfilling life.
This, then, is her story, as related by her daughters.
“I was born and raised in San Felipe, in the province of Zambales, the Philippines. My father was a farmer, my mother a housewife, and I am the youngest of seven children, many of them born long before I was. One of my brothers lived to be 89, and a sister lived to 94, but I am the first to live to 100 and beyond.
“I left home to attend college in Manila, about 100 miles away, and returned after graduation to serve as an elementary school teacher. But then the Japanese invaded and occupied the Philippines, from 1942 to 1944, and life was very difficult until liberation. Even today it’s not easy to talk about; I have flashbacks of having to pack up and leave very quickly. Fortunately, I am a Sagittarius, which means I always have a positive outlook on life, and that has helped me get through life’s challenges.
“I taught until 1955 when I married Paul Amorsolo Manglicmot, born 10 months before me, also in San Felipe. Paul had joined the U.S. Navy during World War II, when citizens of the Philippines could do so, and he remained in the Navy most of his life. When he was stationed in Japan, our daughter Margie was born, and then he was reassigned to Nebraska, where Mary Ann was born, and we became U.S. citizens.
“In 1963, we moved to Port Hueneme, where Paul served at the CB base as a steward, then as a cook. He also served in Vietnam during that war for a time, so I became a licensed day care operator, opening from our home. Then I took classes at H&R Block and did income taxes, and I helped out in a local travel office, where I worked with many people who were traveling to the Philippines.
“We became active members of Mary Star of the Sea Church in Oxnard, and I became active in many community organizations as well, including Food Share and the Filipino community of Ventura County. A Sagittarius is a person who enjoys meeting new people, and that is very true in my case. We also loved to host visiting family and friends.
“At home, I always loved to garden, raising vegetables and flowers, and I also had fruit trees. If you ask me about why I’ve lived a long life, I think part of it is my diet: vegetables, fish, a little rice, only healthy foods and absolutely no junk food.
“And being busy helps, too. I’ve traveled to the Philippines, of course, but also to Europe, the Holy Land, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, and on a Mediterranean cruise. I’ve always been adventurous and open-minded, and I enjoy learning about different cultures and parts of the world. Saturnina Rosete Manglicmot (seated, with daughters Mary Ann Ortega and Margie Razavi) receives a certificate from Oxnard Mayor John Zaragoza. Photo submitted n
Importance of family and friends
“I have my hobbies — gardening, sewing, crocheting. And socializing with friends, getting involved in organizations, reading the newspaper, and staying informed keeps my mind and body active.
“But my real joy has always been my family. My daughters will tell you that I was kind but firm — very caring, very loving, and very strict. I believed in the old traditions of our culture and family, but I also wanted my daughters to enjoy opportunities I never had, like ballet and piano lessons. Margie was in Girl Scouts, Mary Ann was in her Hueneme High School marching band, and I tried to support everything they wanted to do.
“I also believe in the importance of education, so there was no argument about whether my daughters would attend college. And their children, my five grandsons, have done the same, as will my two great granddaughters someday.
“Yes, family is very important to me. I miss Paul, who died in 2003. He’d retired from the Navy and continued to work at Point Mugu as a chef in their CPO Club until he was 65, after which he and I devoted ourselves to babysitting our grandchildren when they were very young. Both of us always held on to the values we felt were most important, especially love of family.
“And I can remember how much fun we had playing Mahjong with friends, sometimes for hours. Socializing has always been a big part of my life, so the pandemic was very difficult for me; I didn’t like being alone so much.
“Fortunately, my daughters and their families live close by and they visit me every day. And here at Regency Palms, everyone has been so nice. And my daughters say I’m eating better, too.
