Beehive Homes Resident Has 100th Birthday

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

The beautifully decorated community room at the Beehive Homes facility in Mesquite made it look like Cinderella’s Ball room. And the local Cinderella was Beehive resident Ethelene Burgi who was celebrating her 100th birthday on October 25, with her family and friends.

The staff at Beehive Homes went all out to make this a joyous occasion. They used a 1920’s theme since 1921 the year that Ethelene was born. They made a lovely luncheon and birthday cake for the centenarian.

Ethelene wore a new red dress and a flapper headdress, as did her party guests.
Ethelene had three children in her first marriage of 47 years: two daughter and one son. The two daughters Carol Mahelona and Judy Lueck were present for the party along with a lifelong friend since their school days Wray Buker.
“Ethelene was my other mother,” said Buker. “I called her mom, too.”

Ethelene was surprised about the party, “I thought the decorations were for Christmas,” she said from her gold-covered party chair. “I am just delighted!”

Youngest daughter Judy Lueck said that her mom was an avid golfer. She first took lessons when she was 30 years old and continued to golf until age 92.

Ethelene’s first husband Hershel Ray Quesenberry was a thirty-year veteran of the Marine Corps. They moved around a lot. She was a homemaker and an excellent seamstress. She made all her girls’ clothes when they were young. Lueck said they were always the fanciest dressed kids on Easter Sunday.

Ethelene and her first husband were living on Coronado Island near San Diego, on the December 7th bombing of Pearl Harbor. She called out the window to her husband and told him what she heard on the radio. He and his friends put on their uniforms and reported for duty. She did not see or hear from him again for one full week.

After her first husband passed away, Ethelene married her second husband and they traveled around in their RV. That is how they found the Virgin Valley. They became snowbirds at Desert Skies for many years. They bought a permanent home in Anastasi’s Palms Mobile Home Park.

Ethelene served as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army for many years. She was active in all the park activities, and has a good sense of humor.

Lueck said that her mother often joked around about her age.
“When asked her age one time, her pat answer was, ‘I am old enough to sleep by myself, but young enough to not want to!’” said Lueck.

Hanging above the well-decorated party table was a good size self-portrait of Ethelene. She had painted it herself at the age of sixty.

Happy Birthday Ethelene Burgi!