By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal writer
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mary Elizabeth (Bricker) Fairchild — who was selected ''May Queen'' back in the day when she was a student at Akron's Central High School — still flashes the smile that scored her that long-ago title.
Indeed, the neatly coiffed Mrs. Fairchild, who turned 100 Thursday, has much to be grateful for and smile about.
Amazingly, the Cuyahoga Falls Cardinal Retirement Village resident, who still covets her independence, lives in an assisted-living apartment.
Mrs. Fairchild was born July 9, 1909, in Barberton and moved to Akron a few weeks later. Teddy Roosevelt was president.
Always physically active, she excelled at basketball in high school. ''I'm not sure. But I imagine I played right guard,'' the nattily dressed widow said, recalling the streetcars she had to take to get to the practices.
Asked how it came to pass that she was tapped as the school's May Queen, the modest and humorous Mrs. Fairchild quipped, ''I guess they were running out of people.''
Mark Corley of Akron, Mrs. Fairchild's devoted son-in-law, lovingly refers to her as ''the mentor to our whole family'' and marvels at her zest for life.
''Mom lived independently until 1999 until she had a slip and fall, breaking a hip,'' Corley said. Subsequently she broke the other hip.
Mrs. Fairchild — who formerly enjoyed playing golf, reading and playing cards, especially bridge — is an avid CNN watcher. That's how she stays up on current events.
She's always been a news buff. In fact, she remembers like it was yesterday hearing President Franklin Roosevelt's famous ''Day of Infamy'' radio address on Dec. 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The most memorable news event in her book is when the U.S. put a man on the moon.
In addition to volunteering for many years at several hospitals, Mrs. Fairchild clocked 32 years as an American Red Cross volunteer, doing everything from telephone answering to personal wound care.
Her son-in-law is so effusive with praise for his mother-in-law's new home that he insists he's even considering putting himself on a waiting list there.
The petite Mary Fairchild, who still eats what she wants (especially waffles and crispy bacon) is a fashionista in every sense of the word.
Her favorite perfume is the upscale Shalimar. ''I've been wearing that fragrance since I was 17,'' Mrs. Fairchild reminisced.
At 100, she not only likes to smell good, she also likes to look good.
She credits her decidedly younger-than- her-years appearance to Nu Skin, a skincare line she has used for many years.
And she always keeps her weekly hair and manicure appointments whether she needs them or not.
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