Dyker resident celebrates 100th birthday

Dyker Heights resident Florence Rutkowski-DeMarco celebrated an important milestone on March 21, 2017 – her 100^th birthday.

She attributes her longevity to being a mom, career woman, her love of ballroom dancing, having her artwork as a hobby and continuing her education by taking evening classes at Brooklyn College. She worked as a secretary for an engineer, so naturally she went to school to take engineering classes.

When asked how it feels to be 100 years old, Rutkowski-DeMarco says she is unsure how to feel, “I guess God just let me live. I can’t tell you – he just let me live this long,” she said.

Rutkowski-DeMarco was an avid driver, all the way until her 90s.

“I drove my car until I was 90. I have driven thousands of miles. I used to drive everybody around. I saw my friends stop going places because their husbands were the ones who used to drive. I told them they should have learned like I did.”

She stopped driving at 90, however; as she warned “Older people should not drive past 90.”

A Dyker Heights resident since 1949, Rutkowski-DeMarco lived with her now deceased husband George DeMarco and her two daughters Karen Watkins and Diane Mandile. Rutkowski-DeMarco’s longevity may truly be a testament to the love and support of her family throughout her life.