Virginia Henman recently celebrated her 100th birthday. She was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sept. 18, 1921, the sixth of 11 children born of Isaac (Ike) and Sarah Allen. She lived many years on Staten Island and in Brooklyn, New York.

Henman has five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.

She was employed at several jobs in New York, until she was hired for a position in the city’s Public Works Department. It was here that she worked and advanced to a management position within the mayor’s office. There for 20 years of service, she was then ready for retirement.

Upon retirement, she moved to Salisbury in 1982 to be closer an older brother and sister-in-law who were also retired. It was not long after her arrival that she joined and is still an appreciated member of First Calvary Baptist Church in Salisbury. A full retirement was not an option or consideration, so she became an active and appreciated member in the church maintaining clerical information as church secretary until several years ago. She has also organized, coordinated and assisted in many events at the church and within the community. The Meals on Wheels program is where she was a volunteer for more than 10 years.

Now that it’s time for full retirement, she regularly enjoys doing “Find a Word” puzzles each day, determining her meals and maintaining a close connection with family and friends.

Her children, Clayton, 79, is a retired N.Y. police officer. And Steve, 78, is a retired Boeing senior radiation administrator. Both are active in ensuring that she is comfortable and can experience doing some of the things that she enjoys most.