FARMINGTON — Town Manager Richard Davis presented Eva Lindsay with the town’s Boston Post Cane on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

“This is a token of our esteem for your long life and your contributions to our community. Congratulations,” Davis said.

“I can’t realize it!” Lindsay exclaimed. “Thank you for this. I will have to have someone put it up for me.”

Lindsay, a resident at Pinewood Terrace, will be 103 in a couple of weeks. It has long been her goal to receive the cane, one of the staff members said.

“I realize this is a real honor, but I’m surprised I got it at 102. There are others who live to be older,” Lindsay said.

“It’s incredible. I’m glad you appreciate it,” Davis said.

Nada Keeling was the town’s last holder of the cane.

The Boston Post, a now defunct newspaper, distributed 700 canes to towns throughout New England. Made of ebony and crowned with 14-karat gold, the canes were presented to the oldest male resident of those towns. In 1930, women were added to the lists of cane recipients.

Farmington’s original cane was retired in 2006. It is on display at the Farmington town office.

Lindsay is hard of hearing and with the social distancing protocols in place because of COVID-19, an interview wasn’t deemed feasible. Instead, last week Pinewood Terrace Administrator Sue Bell asked Lindsay the questions about her life that would have been asked. Lindsay’s responses were emailed to this staff writer.

Below are details of Lindsay’s life.

Eva Mae Hanson was born at home in St. Albans on Sept. 25, 1917. She remembers a happy childhood with her parents and half sister.

She graduated from Hartland Academy in 1934 and started working in a canning factory. She also worked at Guilford Hardwood Products.

Eva loved dancing and went to all the dances in the area. She met Donald Lindsay, a nationalized Canadian, at a grange dance and married him in 1939. They settled in Corinna and Donald built them a wonderful house from scratch where they raised three children.

During this time, Eva worked at a woolen mill in Corinna making $13 a week. As a young mother, she enjoyed going for rides and fun family times, especially during the holidays. Her best memories and the moments that she would return to if possible, is the time when her children were young and her husband was alive. It was a busy and purposeful period for her, between 1949-1969.

Donald passed away in 1973. She has 3 children, 5 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Eva moved to Farmington in 1996 and was one of the first residents to move into the newly constructed Pinewood Terrace. She calls herself a ‘charter member.’

Eva was always too busy for hobbies in her younger years, ‘there was a lot to do!’ but now enjoys knitting and bingo and is an avid Red Sox fan. She also enjoys rides in the country and reminiscing. She belonged to Daughters of Rebekah and the Grange. Eva loved the Grange and events they held, especially the dances.

The hardest part of COVID-19 parameters for Eva is being able to hear people. The masks make it hard to hear. “Otherwise,” she states, “it doesn’t bother me.”

The hardest part of getting older is having to slow down, that things take longer to do, Eva states. She also wants folks to know one thing about her – she had the ‘best husband in the world!’

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.