Good genes, family, and Cape Cod air – these, according to the latest recipient of the Boston Post Cane and her family, are the secrets to longevity for Marion Thomas, 98, of Rochester.
Thomas, born December 21, 1916 and named Marion Henrique by her parents, was presented the Boston Post Cane on Monday, August 3, by Selectman Naida Parker at the Rochester Senior Center, surrounded by four generations of family. Thomas was born and raised in Provincetown, where she was a clerk at a gift shop in 1937 when she met her late husband, a local fisherman. She worked for the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce for 27 years, until the age of 85, just before she moved to Rochester to be closer to her son, Tom Thomas, who resides in Acushnet.
Council on Aging Director Sharon Lally described Thomas as “sharp as a tack.” One of Thomas’ relatives described her as a “lovely lady” because she always took care of others and her family.
“She was a very good house cleaner,” said Laurie O’Neil, Thomas’ great-niece. Tia Marion is how they called Thomas, whose parents both came from Portugal and settled together in Provincetown.
Thomas’ son, Tom, said Thomas had a green thumb, and she left behind a legacy of botanical beauty at her last place of residence in Provincetown.
“Her hydrangeas have been there 60, 70 years,” said Tom. “And they’re still there. And all the roses, all the length of the house.”
Tom also remarked on how Thomas always took care of her self and lived a healthy life.
“She never smoked, never drank, had one cup of coffee every day, as far as I know,” Tom said. He said Thomas’ family all lived long, healthy lives. Her parents lived well into their nineties, and Thomas’ brother lived to the ripe old age of 101.
Thomas’ niece, Kathy Rubbicco, recalled how Thomas would always comfort others and care for them.
“She’s got a big heart. She’s genuine,” said Rubbicco. “Everything she does is genuine.”
It was always all about the family, said O’Neil. And one of the highlights of every year for the family was the Blessing of the Fleets. They were fishing people, after all.
Four generations celebrated with Thomas that afternoon, and they marked the occasion with blueberry pie and chocolate cake after the cane was handed to Thomas. Tom said his mother had no idea all the family would be coming out to celebrate with Thomas and witness her receiving the honor as being named Rochester’s oldest citizen.
“My mother is a very humble lady,” said Tom. “This is, to her, over and above.”
Thomas said she was happy to be living in Rochester these past 10 years and is glad to be nearer to her beloved family.
“I really was alone in Provincetown,” said Thomas, “and I really appreciate what my son did by bringing me here.”
The Boston Post Cane tradition has been going strong in Rochester since 1909 when the now defunct Boston Post sent each town in Massachusetts a cane to be presented to the oldest citizen of each town, and subsequently passed down to the next surviving oldest resident.
The “fine gold-headed ebony stick to be carried by the oldest citizen,” as described by the Boston Post in an August 1909 press release of sorts, was manufactured by J.F. Fradley & Co. of New York, who was widely recognized as the leading manufacturer of fine canes.
The canes are of Gaboon ebony from the Congo, and the ebony was shipped to the United States in logs about seven feet long, which were then cut into stick lengths. It took about a year from the moment the logs first arrived to the final finishing of the cane, completed with a 14-karat gold head with the town’s name inscribed and blank areas for the initials of future cane recipients.
Rochester is one of the remaining towns, as well as Marion, who still has the Boston Post Cane in their possession. Many towns have lost their canes over the years to damage or theft.
The Boston Post Cane was passed on to Thomas after the cane’s last recipient, 100 year old Armand Cournoyer, passed away on April 20, 2015.
By Jean Perry
