Mildred Nickie Hall
Always the Life of the Party
by June Swords Bower

Mildred ’Nickie’ Hall, whose beauty and elegance still remains, will turn 106 on Mischief Night, October 30, 2010. Mischief Night set in to motion Nickie’s fun-loving personality that made everyone happy to know her. Her family describes her as an avid bridge player, a witty prankster with a great sense of humor and is always kind to everyone she meets. She refers to Pitman Manor’s Executive Director, Jim Clancy, as Chief Wahoo. 

Born Mildred Agatha Tripp in Glens Falls, NY in 1904, Nickie spent a normal childhood there and ultimately married William C. Hall.  Bill was employed for many years for the Glens Falls Insurance Co. and raised a family of three with Nickie. He was transferred to the Philadelphia area which prompted their move to Washington Ave. in Pitman, NJ. Shortly after arriving in Pitman, number three, Janet, became the final addition.

Janet, who visits her mother every day at Pitman Manor, remembers Nickie as a social woman having many friends and who has been a member for 40 years of the Philanthropic Educational Organization for women or the PEO. This organization is responsible for scholarship awards, educational loans and grants for continued education. As a matter of fact, a PEO member stops by each month to check in with Nickie and often brings her lovely flowers to enjoy.

As Nickie was raising the children, she was forever the practical joker. Nickie decided to play a trick on her children on April Fools Day. She prepared a group of peeled garlic and dipped each into chocolate and placed them on a plate and said that they were for her Bridge ladies who were scheduled to be there later that night. She said, "Just take one." As soon as they bit into it she yelled, "April Fools!"  I wonder what the Bridge ladies were in for that night.

During the 1950’s, Nickie, as the mayor’s wife, was extremely active in wifely Mayoral duties, dinners and even belonged to the equivalent of Kiwanis; Sinawik is Kiwanis spelled backwards where she enjoyed activities with those members. She was extremely amicable and always made people feel welcomed and important with her kindness and her smile. All the while, Nickie continued to keep up with her passion for Bridge.

She played every chance she could. She played monthly Contract Bridge at the Woodbury Country Club and every Monday at her house the ladies would come at 9am and wouldn’t leave until 4pm. The only stipulation was that they had to bring wine and a sandwich. Wow...what fun they must have had!

Janet’s older daughter Laura idolizes her grandmother. She has always visited and played Gin Rummy with Nickie. She constantly beat Laura at the game. And then it finally happened. Laura beat Nickie and Laura was so upset that she called home worried that something was wrong with her grandmother, Nickie.  Nobody beats her!!!

I guess great-granddaughter McKenna Coyle says it best when she describes Nickie as her hero because she is the wisest and funniest person that she knows. I want to be just like her when I grow up. She raised fantastic children, was an amazing wife, and is still a great all-around woman. She is always the life of the party and has some witty remark that makes everyone smile or laugh. She tells me how proud she is of me and tells me what a great person I am and will be when I grow up. She will always be my hero.

When asked about her life and how she feels she has come to be 106 years old, Nickie said that she has always been a health conscious person and was known as a ’walker’ and she always kept busy. But a social drink, a social cigarette, and a little money on any card game was her secret along with a lot of walking. She said, "I had a really fun life! Life is what you make it." And that is exactly what she did.

Please enjoy this picture of Nickie’s loving family who is active in her life and love her dearly.

I want to thank Mildred Nickie Hall and her