mobanmarketARLINGTON, VA — Vera Punke has lived a long life and has been widowed four times. Now, at 108 years old, the spunky Arlington resident jokes that she will only date older men.
Punke, a resident of The Jefferson in Arlington since age 95, celebrated her 108th birthday on Tuesday, Aug. 29 and held a birthday party the following day. Hundreds attended her decades-themed birthday party, including Jefferson residents and local officials.
“My secret is to look ahead,” Punke told Patch about her secret to longevity. “Because if you look back, you think of all the bad things. You want to look ahead.”
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Born in Providence, Rhode Island on Aug. 29, 1915, Punke was raised with three other siblings by an Italian immigrant mother after their father died. In the 1930s, she met Aldo DiDeglio, who would go on to be her first husband. They had two children, Richard and Ellie “Cookie.”
Living in Rhode Island, Punke was a stay-at-home mom and later became owner of several gift shops. Punke was first widowed at age 44 when her husband Al died in 1959. She later met and married Carmine Stabile, who died in 1977. After reconnecting with her former teacher Albert Di Pippo, they married in 1979. Punke sold her businesses so they could travel the world. In 1981, her husband died, widowing her for a third time.
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The fourth time she was widowed was after she moved to a condo in Florida in 1990. She met Chester Punke, and they married in 1994 before they traveled the world. He died on Christmas Day in 2002.
But there were bright spots despite tragedy. Punke’s grandchildren were born in 1971 and 1976, and she gained four great-grandchildren in the 2000s. Her son-in-law, Evan, wrote a book for her 95th birthday called “Vera’s Life.” When the book was completed, it was given to over 100 friends at her birthday party.
Age 95 was a time of change as Punke surprised her family by moving to Arlington to be close to her daughter. She has been living at the Jefferson ever since and hasn’t looked back.
Punke hasn’t lost any of her spunk in her 100s. She still enjoys coordinating her outfits, has a collection of over 40 pairs of shoes, does yoga and is a skilled bridge player. She recently started a “hat girls” club that gets together to have drinks.
“I like the friendship, and of course the people are all nice,” Punke told Patch. “And I play bridge three times a week.”
The Jefferson threw Punke a birthday party at age 100, and it has become a tradition. At her 108th birthday, Punke was treated to birthday cake, well wishes from family, friends and local officials, and music from the decades by Dale Jarrett.
Punke received an Arlington County Board proclamation from Vice Chair Libby Garvey, a U.S. Senate resolution, message from Sen. Mark Warner, and letter from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and video message from parent company Sunrise Senior Living’s leadership. Arlington County Police presented Punke with a “get out of jail free” card, and numbers of Arlington County Fire Department showed up to celebrate.
Del. Patrick Hope, a state representative for Arlington, also attended and recalled how he promised at her 107th birthday to be her date for the next year.
“I said, next year, I’ll come back and I’ll be your date,” said Hope. “You said, I’m not sure I’ll be here. Thank you for not standing me up.”
Carlos Velasquez, a member of Arlington’s Commission on Aging, had Punke on the Centenarians Today podcast and said she was “forthcoming with a lot about her life.” That included her preference for older men.
So when Velasquez presented her with flowers, she was quick with a joke: “I wish you were older.”
Best of all, party attendees got to hear from Punke herself in a video in a video the Jefferson put together.
Punke told Patch another secret to longevity is being around friends.
“When you think of other people, you forget your problems,” Punke said.
Punke’s grandson, Rob, reflected on how she had a way of getting people together.
“This room is filled with people who answered that call to get together. You’re still doing it after all this time,” he said.
Punke filled the room with laughs at times but left family and friends with a heartfelt message.
“I’m so overwhelmed with emotions. I love you all. Thank you so much for celebrating my birthday,” said Punke. “I’m so grateful for every day. As I said, I’m 108 and one day today.”
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