Victoria “Vicki” Scalora, a resident at assisted living and memory care community The Commons of Newtown, commemorated turning 102 with a birthday party full of food, drinks, and dancing at the facility on Friday, March 8.

Family, friends, and staff at The Commons were all in attendance to celebrate the landmark milestone with her. Everyone cheered and clapped for Vicki when she finally made her way into the room, especially when she turned around and saw that her son Victor Scalora and his wife Terry Scalora were there.

Vicki spoke through tears as she expressed her gratitude for everyone who showed up.

“We all get along wonderful. And if anybody needed something, we’re right there. And I love you all for being here, really,” Vicki said. “Seeing your faces here … thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here today.”

The Commons staff helped make the milestone special by going all out with decorations. The doorway of the birthday party room was adorned with pink and purple streamers and a “Happy 102nd Birthday” sign at the top. The room itself was spruced up with pink and silver balloons floating at the top of the ceiling and pink plastic tablecloth covering every table in sight.

Staff also brought in a wide variety of food and drinks for everyone, ranging from chips, pigs in a blanket, and vanilla and chocolate cake to water, soda, and fruit punch. They even made Vicki a special purple sash that said “102 & Fabulous” to wear for the party.

Before eating though, friends and staff at The Commons shared memories of Vicki and talked about how much they treasure their time with her. Staff also prepared and read fun facts about Vicki’s birthday, including her star sign, celebrities that share her birthday, and what movies and songs were popular at the time.

The real fun began after everyone got their food, when The Commons staff began to play music from the television. Everyone clapped and sang along to songs from Mariah Carey, Tina Turner, and Elvis Presley. Vicki even got up to dance with the staff to Whitney Houston’s song “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” Family, friends, and staff cheered Vicki on as she showed everyone her moves with a bright smile on her face.

Vicki was born on March 6, 1922 in Lawrence, Mass. and her family moved to Danbury when she was a child. In her teens and early twenties, she worked the lunch counter at Whelan’s Drug Store on Main Street in Danbury. She likes to tell how she was approached by a talent scout while working, but did not want to leave her parents.

During World War II, she worked at Remington Arms in Bridgeport making bullets and then went back to work at the drugstore afterwards.

She met her husband Joe (Joseph) at a dance in 1954 and they were married in 1955. They moved to Winsted and lived there until her children were born, then they moved back to Danbury. She had their son Victor at the beginning of 1958 and daughter Helen at the end of 1960.

For more than 20 years she was a member of the Bowlerettes Ladies Bowling Team. The Jets used to be her favorite football team, with Joe Namath her favorite player. Vicki has always loved to sketch and paint, and her family still has some of her paintings in their homes.

Once her children were in school, she worked in the cafeterias at Morris Street School and then Rogers Park Junior High School until she retired.

She and Joe moved to Newtown in the mid 1990s and lived at Nunnawauk Meadows for over 27 years. Her husband Joe died in February 2008. At Nunnawauk, Vicki was a member of the ladies club, the morning coffee group at the hall, and would try to walk daily or hang out at the gazebo with the ladies.

She moved to The Commons of Newtown in April 2022 at 100 years-old.

Vicki has two children: her son Victor (married to Terry), and daughter Helen (widow of Andrew). She is also the “sitto” (grandmother) of three grandchildren: Alyssa (and her husband Steven), Evan (and his wife Andrea) and Nicole (and her husband Guillermo) and two great grandchildren: Sophia and Rocco.

The Bee also interviewed Vicki for the “Snapshots” section in its March 23, 2012, issue just after her 90th birthday. When asked “what makes you happiest?” in the interview, Vicki said, “Seeing that my kids are happy, and that my beautiful grandchildren are happy. I thank God every day that He has let me live this long — I’m 90 years old, and proud of it — to be with my children and grandchildren.”

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.