A 100^th Birthday Celebration!

A 100^th Birthday Celebration!
Our ADASF ​“LUV MOTHER” who loves the NEW YORKER!

My girl­friend, Adele, has kept a stack of her favorite New Yorker covers. She loaned them to us so that we could appre­ciate the many that we have never seen. She waits to read every new issue. She presented us with a subscrip­tion so now we enjoy what she has enjoyed for many, many years. So a month ago, for her 100^th birthday, I created this card — showing Adele and us, as we were many years ago.

This was a big birthday party that could no way hold all of Adele’s friends. Adele ​“worked the crowd” as I could never have done, greeting each person in the room that she has known through her many years. Her grandson and family were so very generous offering a full dinner and more, but they had to limit the invites. There were only a few of us Geezers, those who live close to the restaurant.

Following the party, Adele, in the tradi­tion of past cour­tesy — hand wrote and sent twenty ​“thank you notes” per day.

Adele is a special friend to many. Here are just a few Geezer responses to her big day:

Re: 100^th Birthday for Adele Smith!
great!
Ward Schumaker

Hey Adele!

100 Years! That’s impos­sible. I was always older than you. More like 39 years older is more prob­able. You were always the lovely one, helping us along through the highs and lows for a number of the best chal­lenges as artist and designers. With remem­brance and major affection,
Primo

Dearest Adele, thank good­ness you still look and feel so wonderful! Sorry we did not know about your Party as we’d have loved to be there to cele­brate one of our most cher­ished friends. You contin­u­ally amaze us with your wit and vigor and hope to see your smiling face at the next Geezer event,
Keep going Girl!
Love,
Bob & Lorraine Pease

Adele,
100? Yipes!!!!!!!!!!!!You are an inspi­ra­tion to all of us young­sters. Happy belated birthday and many, many more. Stay well, and thanks for all the great work you have done through the years.
Alan Lefkort

A wonderful happy birthday to the gal that kept the artists and art direc­tors club going all those years.
We love you.
Jack Allen

Dear Adele,
Pret­tiest Cente­narian on the planet. Thank you for all your faithful and expert service over these many years.Remember the ADASF show at the new Inter­na­tional Building? the cement wasn’t dry yet and it rained for the opening.
Love you!
Sincerely,

Ad Taylor

Dear Annie and Dick,

Thank you so very much for the photos of Adele’s birthday. I am sooooooo sorry I missed it and will send her a note to tell her the reason why.

I am on the mend now.

Love,
Jane

To Adele Smith

All the best to you on your wonderful 100^th. My memo­ries of you go all the way back meeting you at your office in the early 50’s at your office on I believe Clay St., near Mont­gomery. I was wet behind the ears not from the salt water spray of having just come out of the Navy, but having just been hired by Max Land­phere as a begin­ning illustrator.
Congradulations!
Norm Nicholson

Adele,

You are remark­able. Congrat­u­la­tions on your centennial.

Dave Sanchez

Hi Ann, and Hi Adele,

I don’t really know Adele but I want to send her my congrat­u­la­tions on reaching 100 years and I wish her the best of more good health. We should all be so fortu­nate! Way to go Adele.

a Geezer,
Dolores Camp­bell

Dear Adele,
Happy Birthday ‑cannot believe it’s your 100^th-you are amazing ‑all good everything
for a wonderful lady-you’re doing some­thing right-keep it up!
All my best,
Dave Broad

I met Adele in 1963, in the Art Direc­tors and Artists Club of San Fran­cisco office at 576 Sacra­mento Street. Besides all of the jobs that her office had to handle, she loved folk dancing with her husband and she had family very close. Galley­west was the club’s newsletter. It was printed on newsprint paper, 7” wide x 20” deep, ​“galleys” (this was the way the type­setter presented the first proofs of blocks of copy to be proof­read, edited and then sent back to be set in clean type for past-up). Here, below, was the Galley­west of 1964, which shows the photos of the yearly exhi­bi­tion. All of the exhi­bi­tion entries had passed through Adele’s hands, as did every issue of Galleywest.

In the days of San Francisco’s ​“summers of luv”, there was another birthday party for Adele. It was called ​“The Luv In” and Adele was surprised then, too. When she arrived, she was whisked into a back room and dressed in a flow­ered dress. Club members were given a song sheet to be sung to the tune of ​“Hello Dolly”— this grand event was held at ​“Brown’s Hall” in Mill Valley.

Adele kept up the club’s member­ship list and collected the yearly dues. The list was the basis of the GEEZERS list that created the first ​“Geezer Get-together” in 1993. Adele has attended every gath­ering, rain or shine.

Double click on a thumb­nail for a larger and complete view.