“Centenarians are the new middle age!” joked Rev. David Kegler during a party thrown to celebrate five women who celebrated birthdays over 100 years old this year, including a 104-year-old.

The party at Simpson House, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) that sits right across from Fairmount Park, was held Monday — National Centenarian Day — and honored residents Vivian Lanier, Catherine Roberta Edwards, Edwina Hild, Helena Allen, and Mary Brown, for not only living long enough to mark 100 or more birthdays, but for being such beloved members of their Philly and Simpson House communities for decades.

“Because we’re a CCRC, a lot of our residents age in place. Some of the ladies actually moved in for independent living, then went to personal care, then went to our skilled communi

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