Viens awarded Hopedale’s Boston Post Cane
Milford Daily News, August 16, 2018
HOPEDALE – Three days before his 99th birthday, Hopedale resident Elmer Viens symbolically received the town’s Boston Post Cane.
“I knew I was getting to be the last one in Hopedale,” he said Thursday, during a party in his honor at the Council on Aging. “Time flies.”
The Cane, in long-standing tradition for communities across the state, is given to the town’s oldest resident.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Louis Arcudi III presented Viens a proclamation from his board, and said he remembered seeing the 98-year-old World War II veteran walking around town, often on either one of his many trips to pick up books, or on one of his famous cookie mail deliveries.
“When my daughter Jessica was going to school, I sent the cookies once,” Viens said. “Then (I became) the cookie man.”
He kept doing it for years, sending the sweet treats to his children throughout college, to his friends, and eventually to his grandchildren.
“I’ve never seen Elmer with anything other than a smile on his face,” Council on Aging Director Carole Mullen said.
Viens has been a resident of Hopedale for 65 years, having moved to Hopedale to work at the Draper Mill after serving in World War II as a medic. He has three children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
“I think it’s exciting,” Viens’ daughter, Jessica, said. “It’s neat to be the oldest person in town.”
Viens recommended consistent activity in order to happily reach the late 90s. He still does a lot of walking, he said, and motion is a habit he kept from his service in the military.
“Keep moving,” he said. “Never stay still.”
The 98-year-old was a model in marital health Thursday, too. His wife of 69 years, Peg, 94, grinned by his side at the party.
“I’m his chauffeur,” she half-joked.
She does drive him around, the pair said. Viens still has a license, but stopped driving about three years ago.
What’s the secret to a long marriage?
“Her,” Viens said, pointing to his wife and laughing.
Boston Post Cane honorees in Hopedale don’t actually receive the Cane itself, which was on display at the Council on Aging Thursday. Viens took home a pin instead, as well as a proclamation from selectmen, and Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018 his birthday – was named in his honor.
His name was also added to a plaque listing the town’s Boston Post Cane awardees.
Viens takes the Cane from its previous holder, Joe Leoncini, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 101. He picked up the cane in 2015, also at 98.
“I grew up next to him,” Council on Aging Chairman Cheryl Moreci said. “He was such an interesting and wonderful guy.”
A founding member of the Hopedale Golf Club, he played the sport until he was at least 98.
Hopedale’s bylaws require the Cane recipient to be a resident for at least 10 years. That means Viens gets the honor instead of 100-year-old Joe Manella, who moved to the assisted living facility in town more recently.
Selectmen will honor Manella with a day of his own – today.
Elmer Viens, 99,of Hopedale, passed away Sunday, December 30, 2018 at the Milford Regional Medical Center. He was married to Margaret (Protz) Viens for 69 years. He was born in New Bedford, MA and was the middle son of the late Henry and Hedwig (Heuberger) Viens .
He lived in New Bedford and Medway before moving to Hopedale in 1953. He was a graduate of the New Bedford high school class of 1937.Elmer served in the Army in WWII in the 113th Evacuation Hospital Unit and participated in various campaigns as a medic in Europe. He served in the German Occupation Army after the war and received numerous awards for his service. Upon arriving home he graduated from the New Bedford Textile School in 1949.He retired in 1975 from the Draper Corporation in Hopedale where he was employed as a textile engineer. He then worked at Dennison Corporation in Framingham as an engineer for another 20 years.Opa (as he was referred to by his great-grandchildren) was an avid card player and loved to play cribbage and pitch at the Hopedale Community Center.
He was often seen walking up Freedom Street to get a coffee at Honeydew (his favorite drink). He read the Wall Street Journal from cover to cover daily and loved to strike up a conversation with strangers on any number of subjects. He was an active member at Planet Fitness, although may have frequented the juice bar more than the exercise equipment. He was recently awarded the Boston Post Cane award as the oldest resident of Hopedale.
In addition to his wife, Elmer is survived by his children, Andrew E. Viens and his wife Linda of Kalispell, MT; Jessica M. LeMarbre of Hopedale, MA; Ann V. Peyser and her husband William Peyser of Bethesda, MD; eleven grandchildren; and eighteen great-grandchildren.He was predeceased by his son-in-law Philip LeMarbre, a brother Henry Viens and a sister Jeanette Wilkinson.
A funeral home service will be held Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 11 A.M. at the Consigli Ruggerio Funeral Home 46 Water St. Milford MA. The burial will follow in the Hopedale Village Cemetery in Hopedale.
Calling hours will be held prior to funeral home services from 8:30 to 10:30 A.M.
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