Happy Birthday, Barbara Buchanan — Still the Grand Dame of Milford

By Marilyn Rosenthal
MILFORD — The birthday gathering for Barbara Buchanan at United Methodist Communities at Bristol Glen in Newton, N.J., an assisted living facility, was a total love fest attended by longtime friends and family.
There was only one candle on the delicious lemon birthday cake brought by Sean Strub to help celebrate Barbara's umpty-ump birthday on the actual date. Barbara still doesn't want to reveal her age. And, as she has said, for at least the last 20 years, "Age is just a number, and mine is unlisted."
So we have all been sworn to secrecy and may never tell!
The touching celebration was arranged by Barbara's longtime companion, Raymond Weeks, and attended by Patricia McNamara, Barbara's look-alike daughter who came all the way from California just to celebrate with her mom. Beth Nikles and her daughter Diane were drawing people out, asking them to talk about how they first met Barbara. Some of the friends there have known the "birthday girl" for at least 50 years.
People delighted in sharing "Barbara stories," and, of course, Barbara relished every minute of it.
Barbara was thrilled and the feelings of gratitude, admiration, and love were palpable.
As people said goodbye, they promised to come back next year to celebrate her umpty-upm-upm birthday!