Former Hicksville resident Rita Dehn and her family had a lot to celebrate on Sunday, May 10. Not only did they celebrate Mother’s Day together, they celebrated her 106th birthday.
“People don’t believe me when I tell them my age—106. When I go to the doctor’s office or get my nails painted at the salon, people think I’m making it up or I’m senile,” said Dehn. “The doctor at the hospital even said that they never had a patient as old as me.”
Dehn is a mother of two daughters, Vaughn and Susan Rogers. She is also very proud of her six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Dehn celebrated an early birthday with her family on Wednesday, May 6 at a yacht club in Northport, and on May 10 her family visited her apartment in Farmingdale for a lobster and steak dinner.
“I had tacos and a margarita at the yacht club with my nephew, my children and their children’s little ones,” smiled Dehn. “It’s beautiful in Northport. It brings back memories.”
Dehn moved from New Zealand to Northport in 1937. Throughout her time on Long Island, she lived many areas including Northport, Hicksville and Farmingdale. She loves going out especially to Northport. One of her favorite activities is spending time with her family and having fun. “I love seeing my family and going out with them,” she said. “My daughter comes to my apartment once a week and we go out for lunch together. I also love going shopping with them.”
Dehn has a list of favorite things including seafood, fruit, eating gooey desserts, scratch off lottery tickets, listening to the television, smoking an occasional cigarette and enjoying the outdoors.
“Right now she loves scratch off lottery tickets. She may not be able to see if she won any money, but she gets excited when she does win,” explained her daughter, Susan.
Dehn’s hobby growing up was dancing. “When I was younger I danced, and when I got older I did ballroom and tango dancing. It was a lot of fun,” she said, smiling.
Dehn often reminisces back to when she lived in New Zealand and had the opportunity to revisit several years ago. She said that it’s absolutely beautiful there, and even though it takes more than 20 hours to ride there on a plane, it is worth it.
Sandy McAslan, a friend of Dehn’s, believes she is a strong woman with lots of stories. “She is a survivor of breast cancer for over 50 years. She is very strong, independent and definitely chipper. She can even go outside without any help,” he said.
Her daughter, Susan, was thrilled to celebrate her mother’s 106th birthday and Mother’s Day. “It’s great that my mom has been with me so long. I love her very much,” she said.
