Celebrating 102nd birthday

Elms resident enjoys a lengthy party for big day

By: Lacey Korevec
   It’s been a nonstop celebration since last week for Martha Heinz, the oldest resident living at the Elms of Cranbury.
   On Oct. 26, she turned 102.
   "All day long it was party after party," she said Monday. "And I’m still having a party today because they brought me lobster tail for lunch and I really love lobster tail."
   In her cozy, neatly kept room, surrounded by dolls, birthday cards, fresh bouquets of flowers and photographs of her family, Ms. Heinz looked back over the years.
   Born in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1904, Ms. Heinz was raised in New York City, living for a time in Manhattan and then Astoria before moving to New Jersey. She settled in Brookview and then Milltown with her husband, Arthur, and her son, Carle. She worked as an accountant in her younger days and then she and her husband ran Heinz Food Market, which was on Georges Road in New Brunswick.
   Her husband died in 1992 and her son died in 2003 at the age of 73. With her husband and son gone, Ms. Heinz said she does not have much family left. But on her birthday, she received visits and phone calls from her daughter-in-law, who she remains very close with, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed several different birthday cakes and met with her minister to pray.
   Ms. Heinz said she is happy to have so many people who want to celebrate with her.
   "They’re very good to me," she said. "I thank God every day, many times a day. It’s rough when you depend on people for everything."
   Aside from the visits and parties, Ms. Heinz said turning 102 is not all it’s cracked up to be.
   "It feels like 102," she laughed.
   Over the years, she’s fractured both of her hips, undergone a number of operations and made it through many other ailments, she said. She can no longer walk and is blind in one eye.
   "I was always a very independent person and now all of a sudden, here I am," she said. "Sometimes I wish I could go because I get very tired."
   The years have passed by quickly. But Ms. Heinz said she is comfortable living at the Elms and had a good time celebrating her birthday. Her longtime caretaker, Tatyana Desiatnikova, brought a big cake in Oct. 26, which the residents ate after singing a group rendition of "Happy Birthday."
   Ms. Desiatnikova also brought in balloons and a separate cake for the Elm’s staff.
   "You get to know people when you live in this place," she said. "Everybody gets to be very friendly, you know."
   Ms. Heinz was given two more cakes during a celebration on Sunday at her church the New Apostolic Church in New Brunswick.