Woman maintains golden view through a century of joy, strife

The Boston Herald

January 7, 2001

What's awesome about Florence Kershaw, born 100 years ago yesterday, isn't that she has lived an entire century or that she's in good health or that she has met three presidents or that she golfed right up until she was 92.

What's awesome is that she wakes up every morning still enthusiastic about life, eager to go to new places, meet new people and experience new things. Her daughter, Doris, will call and ask, "What are you doing, Mother? Want to go on the boat? Want to go anywhere?" and she'll say, "Yes. When are we going?" Her son will phone from Boston and say, "Mother. How would you like to fly to Rome for the weekend or the Vineyard or come up and visit me?" And she'll be packed in less time than it takes for him to hang up and make a plane reservation.

"I'm too tired. I'm not interested. I don't like. I don't want. I can't. I won't. I don't feel like it. I'm too old," are not words she uses.

What's awesome about Florence Kershaw are the words she does use: "beautiful," "wonderful," "exciting," "interesting," "blessed." Two world wars, the Great Depression, the death of a son and a husband, the cares and strife of 100 years haven't clouded her sight or dulled her enthusiasm for life. She continues to see beauty and wonder wherever she looks.

She attributes her long life and good health to her genes, and her happiness and good fortune to her children. Her daughter and son-in-law, Doris and Richard Guba, live near her in Sarasota, Fla., and she sees them regularly. Her son, Tom Kershaw, owner of Boston's Hampshire House, the home of "Cheers," shares the fame and financial rewards that "Cheers" has brought and takes her everywhere. Whenever he's planning a trip or heading off to a party, he picks up the phone and asks if she wants to come along.

She usually does.

"Anything that comes along that's exciting, I want a part of," she says. "I live on my own in a retirement place where there's all sorts of entertainment and tours and programs." That keeps her busy. And then there's Tom, jetting her all over the world.

"My favorite trip? Oh, there have been so many. We went up to St. Moritz in a horse and buggy. That was lovely, going up the mountain. And Tom took me to Bermuda to the governor's house for a party. Everyone was dressed so beautifully and the mansion was full of flowers and when you arrive they announce you. I thought I was in Hollywood. When I hear people complaining about their children, I think how lucky I am and how blessed I've been. My life has been one joy after another."

It wasn't always. She lost her first son. He died when he was just 3 years old, two days after Christmas. "I took him to see Santa Claus and he caught something rare. They wrote it up in a medical journal. Afterward I couldn't sleep. I couldn't do anything. I went to the doctor and I said give me something. He said, 'I will, but I want you to promise you'll take what I give you.' I promised and he said, 'I want you to take up golf.' And I did. That doctor saved my life. Then the Good Lord gave me Tom to make up for all I'd lost. My life with Tom has been wonderful. We've been buddies ever since he was a boy."

Last night Tom threw his mother a star-studded, family-filled birthday party. Three floors of the Hampshire House were packed full of men in tuxedoes and women in gowns. The band played. Champagne flowed. And Florence Kershaw held court.

In keeping with her 100 years, she wore a gold Fiandaca gown. Wednesday, after her final fitting, she chuckled and said, "This is my golden birthday so it's a golden gown. It's different from anything I've ever had. It shines. It's a dress people will definitely notice. Everyone's making such a fuss over me and I love it. The party hasn't even started and there's so much going on."

What's awesome about Florence Kershaw is that she is a party all by herself.

"Tired? No I don't get tired," she said. "I have too much to do to get tired. Oh, I had some doubts about making it to 100. How could I not? But here I am. And it's wonderful.

"Did I tell you that President Clinton kissed me one time? I was with Tom at a fund-raiser for Ireland. It was 1998. 'Are you a good golfer?' I asked him. And he said, 'No. No' and then he kissed me. He really is charming."

So are you, Mrs. Kershaw. So are you.