By the time Jeannette Zerbe was born in Mount Holly during February of 1921, women had been granted the right to vote nearly six months earlier.
By the time Zerbe was 5 years old, she had already lost her mother — with the sacrifices of the Depression and World War II yet to come.
When she and her husband, Domer, moved into Barclay Farms in 1957, there were only a handful of homes in the new development.
But from those humble beginnings, a multitude followed. And her resolve to make the best of things continued.
On a blustery Feb. 6, Zerbe’s family, a smattering of neighbors and a caravan of roughly 30 vehicles gathered along Winston Way to celebrate her 100th birthday, which was actually three days later.
Banners were hung by the driveway with care, but tables set up on the blacktop designed to display some of the treasures of a life well lived had to be weighted down to prevent sudden gales from toppling them. They didn’t last long. Zerbe was to have pride of place with a seat between them, but, surprised at the sheer number of well wishers, she opted instead to stand (with assistance) and greet as many as possible.
Peggy Wysocki, from the Friends of Barclay Farmstead, revealed that Zerbe met her husband in high school. When he was too shy to ask her to the prom, she just told him she was going to the prom with him, “and, as they say, the rest is history.”
Zerbe’s youngest son, Steve, attributed his mother’s longevity to sturdy genetics.
“She’s got some good genes. It’s interesting because in the family, even on the paternal side, all had good genes,” he noted.
“Our dad lived to be 95, but he’s been gone since Nov. 21, 2017,” Zerbe added. “My mom and dad were married for 74 years. His mother lived to be 100 years and about four months, and my dad’s grandfather lived to be over 90. Her oldest sister lived to be 98. That’s what it is.”
A member of the township garden club from its inception in the 1960s, the Zerbe matriarch saw her stewardship recognized by then-Mayor Chuck Cahn with a proclamation in June 2015. The Herb Garden at Barclay Farmstead is also dedicated in Zerbe’s honor.
It’s no surprise, then, to hear who was responsible for pulling the drive-thru celebration together.
“The garden club, as well as members of the Barclay Farmstead Association, all got together and decided to do this, said Zerbe’s oldest son, Domer.
“We appreciate their endeavor, and it all came off so well.”
Zerbe was visibly frail, and just about at her limit after 30 minutes in the chill. Once inside, she heard several family members acknowledge that, even at 100, she will continue to cook meals for her sons and grandchildren.
Domer paid tribute to his mother, recognizing how he and his brother have been fortunate that Zerbe still takes care of her boys and their families, something she had to learn on her own because she didn’t have a similar role model.
“It’s really something that she’s built what she has here,” he said.
