LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating Olga Davis upon the occasion of
celebrating her 100th Birthday on March 15, 2014

WHEREAS, Senior citizens bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to
the increasingly active roles they play in today's society; their past
contributions and future participation are a vital part of, and valuable
asset to, the fabric of community life and activity; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Olga
Davis upon the occasion of her 100th Birthday to be celebrated with an
Open House held in her honor and hosted by her daughters at the American
Legion Post 915, Central Square, New York, on Saturday, March 15, 2014;
and
WHEREAS, Olga was born on March 15, 1914, in Baltimore, Maryland, to
Anthony and Mary Stolar, who immigrated from Austria in the early 1900s
and were of Ukrainian descent; she was raised on a 16-acre farm in
Liverpool, New York, and was the second born of 11 children; and
WHEREAS, After a fire destroyed their family home, 11 year-old Olga
and her family made a "liveable" place in the barn until their home
could be rebuilt; and
WHEREAS, Life on the farm was harsh for the Stolar family; Olga and
her siblings stripped willow branches which her father would sell for
money, and the children, along with their mother, picked and sold aspar-
agus, going house to house in their neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Olga dropped out of school in the seventh grade to help the
family financially, as did most of her siblings; for about five years,
she worked at Will & Baumer Candle Company in Liverpool, New York, posi-
tioning the wick in the candle making process; since transportation was
not available, she had to walk to work, approximately three miles one
way; and
WHEREAS, Olga was united in marriage to Delmar Davis on November 14,
1936, in St. Joseph's Church in Liverpool, New York; they were a strik-
ingly handsome pair; Olga was a former contestant in the Miss Syracuse
Pageant, and Delmar, of German and English heritage, looked like a
modern-day movie star; the couple moved to Central Square, New York, in
1945, where she still resides; and
WHEREAS, Olga and Delmar Davis raised four wonderful daughters: the
late Carol (the late James) Ott, Diane (Leland) Chapin; Bonnie (Robert)
Nash and Debbie (the late William) White; Olga also helped raise two
step-daughters and one grandson; today, she is the loving grandmother of
21 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grand-
child; and
WHEREAS, To financially assist her husband with the household
expenses, Olga planted flowers and a vegetable garden and sold them out
of a cart in front of the house; she was proud to say her strawberry
garden paid their taxes for the year; in addition, she sold greeting
cards out of a suitcase, and was a Luzier (makeup) sales representative;
and
WHEREAS, Olga Davis was an active member of her community; she was a
Girl Scout Leader and a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church Altar &
Rosary Society; at times she supplied fresh flower bouquets for the
altar on Sundays; and
WHEREAS, Always very artistic and creative, Olga Davis enrolled in
adult woodworking classes and built several items including a 4-tier
bookcase, a footstool with hinged top, and two decorative shelf units;
she also took up dressmaking as well as leather craft, and made a man's
belt and a wallet; and

WHEREAS, After the death of Delmar in 1966 at the age of 59, Olga
worked at various jobs such as waitressing at several restaurants, and
cleaning houses for many years; she continued to work her gardens and
sell produce, along with home-baked breads and pies; she also continued
to process and can vegetables from her garden, and make jelly and jams
from the trees and bushes in her yard, including crab apples, pears,
blueberries, raspberries, and currents; and
WHEREAS, This exceptional centenarian, with her zest for life, has
inspired and enhanced the lives of her family and friends; and
WHEREAS, This distinguished woman has experienced the incredible joys
and sorrows characteristic of and reserved for those with the stamina
and courage to savor a full life; and
WHEREAS, Olga Davis contributes her longevity to hard work, eating
healthy, and keeping active; today she still does her own cooking and
baking, and enjoys feeding and watching the birds, puttering in her
gardens, and doing find-a-word puzzles; and
WHEREAS, This beloved woman has enriched the lives of those around her
through her joyous and sincere love for others and through the quiescent
charm and wisdom which comes only from a fullness of years; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to publicly recog-
nize those who have reached such a remarkable age and who have witnessed
and celebrated the innovations, cultural developments and awesome
achievements of this country during the last century, while themselves
contributing to the growth and excellence of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Olga Davis upon the occasion of celebrating her 100th
Birthday; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Olga Davis.