Last Updated on May 9, 2025 by Editor
At 104 years old, Antoinette LaPaglia is one of our longest living parishioners. She resides in Wylie Hall assisted living at the Masonic Care Community, where once a month she cooks for about 30 residents. It’s a nice place, but she still longs for her home. She’s had a rugged life but has survived for more than 10 decades. She thanks the Blessed Mother and God for guiding her for more than a century.
The obvious question is, since you’re 104, what’s your secret?
Well, all my life I like to help people. As years go by, I didn’t think about my birthday anymore. You know, it just came and went and came and went. But I thank the Blessed Mother for me to be here. And I pray to her every day. And I think she watches me. And I ask her that I know I’m living in an assisted living home, but I don’t like it here.
A little birdie told me that you want to go and live by yourself.
Yes. You tell that little bird that it’s not going to happen.
You were just mentioning your birthday. Did you ever think about getting this old?
I know I’m getting older. I can’t do things like I used to do. But it’s not like being at home and sitting down and saying, “Well, this is my home and if I want to make something, I make it. If I want company, I have company, and this is what I want.” I really can’t do it, but that’s what I like to do.
OK, this might be a delicate question. Here you are 104 years old. Do you ever think about having eternal life, what’s beyond?
Oh yes, I do that every day. Every day I think of that. I think about going to heaven. I got a mother, and 20 days after I was born, my mother died, and I pray to her. I say, “Ma, I don’t know you, but someday I’m going to meet you, and I love you.” And I say a rosary to her.
So, you’re looking forward to meeting her someday?
Oh yes, I do.
You were born in 1921 and lived through a lot. What do you remember over those years?
I didn’t think too much of it because you know I was too involved with my family. I lived upstairs. My (step)mother lived downstairs, and when she needed me I was there, and when my family needed something, they got me. I worked hard. I worked all my life. I worked at GE and Oneita Knitting Mill. And I took care of a little boy that lost his mother, too. Yeah, until he got married. My dad was a wonderful man and a church-goer. We always went to Mount Carmel Church. I remember Mount Carmel as it was in 1936. I got married, and that’s the year that Mount Carmel was getting remodeled.
Speaking of marriage, you were married to Carmen for 61 years. What was that like?
Oh, don’t talk about that. I was a very young girl when I got married.
How old were you?
Oh, God, I hate to say it — 16. And my husband was 17. But I didn’t even know my husband. I just knew him by speaking to him. My father found out I had a little boyfriend. Don’t forget, I had two stepsisters and a brother. And I told Father Berton. And I was questioned just like I was going to the jury. “Anything wrong with you. Anything wrong with you?” There was nothing wrong with me.
What were those early years like?
Well, I have four children. A little girl died on me. I mean, things were pretty rough. I couldn’t afford a doctor. Nobody helped me and my baby (died). And I had a rugged life. That’s why I lived close to my parents because my marriage wasn’t that great.
On the bright side, you have grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren. How amazing is that for you?
Where the hell are they? (She laughs). You raise them up, you give them your help, they’re given everything, and they disappear. No, but I got a few of that are very close to me.
You worked at General Electric.
I worked for the military. I was an assembler. I was hired in 1953, and I retired, I think, in 1982. Oh my God, that was a beautiful plant. Too bad that plant couldn’t stay here. It was a good place to work. They didn’t even want me to retire. I retired because my husband got sick, and I had to be home to take care of him.
One of your favorite things to do is cook. I’ve been told occasionally you cook for residents here.
Yes, once in a while. I make sauce for them. I made stuffed peppers, baked lasagna, whatever they asked.
How many people do you cook for here?
Oh, I cook for 30 people. I showed them just how we make it, not the way they make it!
What are your memories of Mount Carmel?
Oh, it was beautiful! We had beautiful priests, and I really enjoyed it. Every time there was a novena (many people came). Then my brother used to sing in the choir. I used to love Mount Carmel Church. I got married there, and when I had children, they all took their Communion, Confirmation, got married. And that’s the way I brought them up.
Did you have a favorite priest?
Father Berton. He was wonderful to me. When I lost my baby, I had my Johnny, who was about 18 months old. (Father Berton) used to come every Friday to see me and he was teaching my son how to how to ride the bike. He was a wonderful man. He used to come to my mother’s house every Sunday afternoon. And my brother and his friends came over. Oh, we had a good time.
What advice would you give some people about trying to cope with the difficulties of life?
People today are not like they used to be. The people years ago were more loving. You know, they give you their heart. Today (it’s about) what you got. “Oh, she’s got better than her. I gotta do a little better than her. And you’re on the side.” If you haven’t got much, you’re on the bad side. If you were on the good side, got a little money, then you’re my friend. It isn’t that. It’s from the heart what you do today. You do with your heart; you don’t do with your mouth.
How would you hope people will remember you?
I want to be remembered that Antoinette was a good woman, and I try to help my grandchildren, and I try to help everybody, and that’s all I could do. And I wish the Lord would keep me on this Earth as long as he could. But I still want my home. That’s what I want. I wish I could live across the street from Mount Carmel Church.
Antoinette LaPaglia
- Age: 104.
- Resides: Wylie Hall assisted living at Masonic Care Community.
- Family: Husband Carmen (deceased), married 61 years; sons John (deceased), Carmen (84); daughter
- Florence Gianotti (deceased); another daughter died at 6 months old.
- Grandchildren: 13.
- Great grandchildren: 21.
- Great, great grandchildren: Four.
- Employment: GE, Oneita Knitting, Utica City School District.
- Favorite activities: Cook, clean, pray.
- Favorite things to do now: Bingo, Mass on Tuesday, all the activities at the center, hairdresser every Saturday.
- Past volunteerism: St. Cosmo and Damiano on Kossuth Avenue, help with pizza fritta, Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Rosalia Society.