Lessons from two Charlotte centenarians
Plus: Top news of the week — Border Patrol leaves Latino community on edge; Thanksgiving airport traffic down 10%; Westside backlash to I-77 expansion plans; Charlotte lands another HQ
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Two Charlotte women, 102 and 105, show how purpose, resilience and a little chutzpah can carry you a very long way.
by Ken Garfield
Meet Eleanor Rubin and Juanita Moss.
Elly, as everyone calls her, lives independently in a 55-plus community in Charlotte. She drives a Mustang. “I drive like a New Yorker,” she says, bragging on herself. Elly is 102.
Nita, as everyone calls her, danced with her instructor at her recent Roaring 20s birthday party. She wore a sequined flapper dress from way back when. Nita also drives, though only short distances on the campus of the Charlotte senior community where she lives independently. Her ride is a Jaguar. Nita is 105.
Elly and Nita don’t know each other. But still, their bond is unmistakable. Each possesses a rare spirit that has gotten them this far. Call it chutzpah, the Yiddish word for audacity.
“I don’t do a lot of things people my age do,” Elly says.
At home, a few miles away, Nita seconds that.
“I’m ready to go when the Lord calls me. But I’m in no hurry. There’s too much going on.”
Elly and Nita are part of the 0.03% of the U.S. population that has made it to 100. Though still rare, the sorority (far more women than men make it to 100) is growing. Pew Research Center estimates that the number of 100-plus Americans will quadruple, from 101,000 in 2024 to 422,000 in 2054. Besides good genes and pure luck, credit medical advances (notably treating cancer and heart disease), lifestyle changes (more exercisers, fewer smokers) and better diets (less meat, little or no alcohol).
A story, then, on two older women isn’t as headline-grabbing as it once was. But a story on them figuratively spitting in the face of their own mortality? Now that’s interesting, and inspirational.
Elly Rubin: ‘I’m not the normal’
Born: July 13, 1923
Before this interview goes too far, Elly warns that diplomacy isn’t her thing: “You want the truth? I’ll give it you.” After a lifetime in New York, then retirement in Orlando and the passing of her beloved husband, Seymour, after 65 years, she moved to Charlotte in 2018 to be closer to family. Liking Charlotte is still a work in progress, she says. But as with most everything else in her life, she makes the best of it.
“I have a great joy of living,” Elly says. “It’s just my way.”
She does yoga (“I’m very flexible”). She reads The New York Times (in print). She plays Rummikub, a tile-based blend of rummy and mahjong, with neighbors. She’d rather read than watch TV. She drives (safely) to the library, grocery and to visit loved ones. She avoids meat, sugar and salt. She started discussion groups. Everything is in play except religion and politics. She has always been a lover of the arts. She has three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memories still make her heart skip a beat. Of all the photographs that grace her apartment, one stands out: Seymour, who made a good living in the wholesale meat business, and Elly celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary over dinner in Jamaica in 1985. It is a picture of young love. Or middle-aged love.
Life, as it does for most of us, hasn’t always been kind. Elly has survived breast cancer and other medical crises. She lost her daughter, Linda, to cancer at age 65. She’s counting on seeing Linda and Seymour again one day. But heaven can wait.
“I’m a fighter,” Elly says. “I’m a survivor. I’m not the normal.”
Nita Moss: ‘I don’t have a secret’
Born: Nov. 1, 1920
Nita Moss’ life today offers a series of happy routines.
On Wednesday, she runs errands with a grandchild. (She has four grands, eight great-grands and two great-great-grandchildren.) On Thursday, she plays bridge. “I let nothing interfere with Thursday bridge,” she says. On Thursday or Friday, her dance instructor drives up from Columbia, S.C., to practice ballroom dancing. John Glandon says Nita is the oldest of his eight pupils aged 100 and over. Sunday brings brunch with friends.
Back in the day, she rarely drank, opting for tomato juice on dates with husband-to-be Harry. Today, 4 p.m. often brings a gin and tonic.
Juanita is a Georgia girl. She had hunger pangs brought on by the Great Depression. Her twin sister, Winona, was 13½ when she died from pneumonia. Nita is proud of the portrait of the two girls taken when they were babies. She dares visitors to guess who’s who. Nita is the plump one on the right.
No matter how many years pass, you still remember.
Nita and Harry found success with Moss Supply Co. in Charlotte, makers of vinyl windows. Together, they enjoyed 14 world cruises and dozens more trips marked on a map with little red buttons. Nita outlived Harry, her husband of 65 years, and their son, Robert, who died at 84.
In years past, Nita played the piano and painted in oil. What remains still resonates. In December, she is headed to New Smyrna Beach, Fla., where she once lived, for its Holiday Boat Parade. She watches the Atlanta Braves on TV. She does an elegant waltz. She’s working on a 1,000-piece custom-made jigsaw puzzle that pictures Nita’s granddaughter, Cassandra, on her wedding day. Nita’s goal? One piece of the puzzle a day.
You turn 100 — 105 in Nita’s case — and people want to know your secret. Other than small meals and a clean heart, Nita answers, “I don’t have a secret.” What she does have is an appreciation for all that remains, balky knees be darned.
‘They have a purpose in life’
Dr. Thomas Perls heads the New England Centenarian Study in Boston. He does not know Elly and Nita. But upon hearing their stories, he can see why they are still going strong.
Neither one smoked. Neither one is overweight. Neither one is a couch potato, the drivel of daytime television their only companion. “Loneliness,” Dr. Perls says, “can be a killer.”
Research proves that Elly and Nita are role models. On personality tests, he says, centenarians and their children in their 70s and 80s scored low on being neurotic and high on being extroverts.
“They (centenarians) tend to be very likable and interesting,” Dr. Perls says. “They are resilient. They have a purpose in life. Gusto.”
Like a woman who drives a Mustang, and another who danced at her 105th birthday party.
Charlotte freelance writer/editor Ken Garfield, age 72, is a frequent contributor to The Ledger. Reach him at garfieldken3129@gmail.com.
Today’s supporting sponsor is VIA Health Partners, which delivers compassionate and comprehensive care to patients with serious illnesses. As the Carolinas’ largest independent non-profit hospice and palliative care provider, we serve over 5,000 patients daily, spanning 38 counties.
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This week in Charlotte: Border Patrol agents arrest hundreds; Residents push Atrium on housing commitments; City arts grants disbursed after delay; Duke Energy calls for rate hikes; JCSU’s football championship
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
Thousands of students absent amid Border Patrol operation: (Queen City News) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools had more than 30,000 students absent on Monday, more than double the numbers reported on recent school days. The unusually large number of absences occurred on the first day of stepped-up immigration enforcement activity by U.S. Border Patrol across Charlotte.
Politics
Advocates press county on Atrium housing gaps: (Ledger🔒) At Tuesday’s meeting, residents urged commissioners to hold Atrium Health accountable for affordable-housing commitments linked to its $75M in public support for The Pearl.
Commissioner won’t run again: (Observer) Mecklenburg County commissioner Laura Meier, who represents south Charlotte, announced she will not run for re-election in 2026. She said it is “the right time to make space for new leadership and fresh ideas.”
Local news
Border Patrol operation results in hundreds arrested: (Ledger🔒) Since last weekend, U.S. Border Patrol’s presence in Charlotte spurred multiple protests across the city, kept workers at home and prompted immigrant-owned businesses to close. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Thursday the DHS and federal agencies had arrested about 370 people in the Charlotte area since Saturday.
Commercial airlines can resume normal operations: (FAA) The Federal Aviation Administration terminated its flight reduction emergency order at 6 a.m. Monday.
NCDOT wants new I-77 lanes to maximize traffic flow, not money: (Transit Time) As residents express “pure disgust” at the proposed widening of Interstate 77 South near uptown — especially in historic Black neighborhoods — N.C. Department of Transportation says elevating the new toll lanes could reduce the project’s footprint and lessen the impact.
Delayed arts grants finally paid out: (Ledger 🔒) Nearly $1.7M in stalled city arts funding has now been distributed to 106 Charlotte artists and organizations, more than a year after the money was approved.
Business
Duke Energy proposes 13% rate hike: (Business North Carolina) The Charlotte-based utility is asking state regulators to approve an increase of more than 13% in its rates in 2027 for residential customers. It’s also proposing a nearly 4% increase for 2028.
Maersk shifting headquarters to Charlotte: (Axios) Global shipping company Maersk will relocate its North American headquarters from New Jersey to south Charlotte, adding 520 new jobs and bringing its local workforce to more than 1,300.
Carolina Business Review to pause after 34 years: (Ledger) After taping more than 1,600 episodes, host Chris William says the long-running PBS business show will take a “sabbatical” at year’s end as he rethinks its future.
SouthPark Mall owner buys Phillips Place: (Observer) Retail real estate giant Simon Property Group, the owner of SouthPark Mall, paid $144.8M for SouthPark’s Phillips Place.
Sports
JCSU ends 56-year title drought: (WFAE) Johnson C. Smith University clinched its first football championship in more than half a century with a win over Virginia Union University.
Record turnout at Charlotte Marathon: (Observer) A record 11,500 runners participated in last weekend’s 21st annual Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, with the event’s 26.2-mile marathon, half-marathon and 5K drawing runners from 19 countries and all 50 states.
Sports betting hits another new record: (Biz Journal) Sports wagering in North Carolina set a record for the second straight month in October, with more than $800M worth of bets placed, according to new figures compiled by the N.C. State Lottery Commission.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Beyond the ‘Firebird.’ Plus: Border Patrol arrests dozens in Charlotte; ‘Carolina Business Review’ to go on sabbatical; Scout Motors posts jobs paying $100,000+
Wednesday (🔒)
Immigration arrests empty shops and stall construction. Plus: Latest updates on Border Patrol; Residents ask commissioners to push Atrium on housing promises; Judge questions lawyers’ AI-linked errors; Toppman reviews ‘Sound of Music’
Friday (🔒)
Patients skipped care during immigration crackdown. Plus: Latino businesses still on edge; City distributes $1.7M in arts grants; Thanksgiving airport traffic down 10%; The Drum in Dilworth?
Ways of Life (🔒)
In memoriam: Parker South, an ever-smiling teen. Also remembered: Longtime CMS English and ESL teachers; counselor and leader of the men’s shelter; businesswoman and co-founder of Partners in Care of the Carolinas
NCDOT wants new I-77 lanes to maximize traffic flow, not money: Residents object to road expansion through historic neighborhoods.
The hills are more alive than ever: ‘The Sound of Music’ runs through Nov. 23 at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.
Will the plan for the Silver Line spur a gold rush for land? Plus: Uptown site may soon undergo big transformation; Inside Charlotte’s Map Room; Highwoods buys again at Legacy Union; Another company to move from uptown to South End
Charlotte FC extends general manager: Roster architect and longest-tenured Charlotte FC employee Zoran Krneta signed a new multi-year contract, the club announced Friday.
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Great week of articles as usual!
I have a research question for the ledger. After the Nate Bargarz show at the Spectrum last night, our group tried to go to the Ritz for a drink. The bar was closing, and patrons were leaving at 9:45. No explanation given. Then we tried Roosters, also locked and closed.
Finally, Eddie Vs unlocked the door and let us in to sit at their bar.
Is this happening every weekend night in uptown now? Or were they just understaffed because of ICE?
The Irish pubs, etc were raging, but not exactly for the older crowd.
Anyway, 15 years in Charlotte and there is still a different vibe in Uptown that I can’t pin down, and I lived on Church a for a year in 2012.