Twins Celebrate 100th Birthday, Credit Family, Active Lifestyle for Longevity
Twin siblings have celebrated their 100th birthday, reflecting on a century marked by historic events, personal losses, health challenges and countless family memories.
The siblings, Southwick and her twin brother Bill, told PEOPLE that despite reaching the milestone, they still feel young at heart.
“We’re still kids,” they said, with one sibling often completing the other’s thoughts.
Their father, Royal Abbott, was stationed with the US Navy in Hawaii when they were born, while their mother, Loreen, worked as a choir director. The twins spent their childhood between Hawaii, the US mainland and Canada before attending high school in Long Beach and Oakland, California.
Longevity appears to run in the family. Both of their parents lived into their mid-90s, while their elder brother, Richard, died last year, just a month before his 103rd birthday.
Their long family history has resulted in large gatherings involving their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“One of the nice things about having parents living so long is that we were able to spend a lot of time together,” Southwick said. “We were able to share a lot of family stories.”
Southwick also recalled how her mother helped introduce her to her husband, Ernie, while they were students at the University of California, Berkeley, in the 1940s.
During a bus strike, her mother suggested that she get a ride from Ernie, who owned a Studebaker.
“The first time I saw him, I thought, ‘Wow!’ It was love,” she recalled.
Southwick and Ernie, who died in 1995, raised five children, including Nancy, who is now her primary caregiver. She studied child development and later worked as a nursery school teacher.
She also wrote a 2012 book, Thomas Leonard McAvey: A Soldier and a Sailor, based on family memories and historical records about her Civil War-era great-grandfather.
Reflecting on her 100 years, Southwick acknowledged that life had come with both good and difficult moments.
“I retired in the ’80s and had breast cancer soon after that,” she said. “I had one breast removed and I’ve had pulmonary problems, but it’s just a matter of life. Things happen.”
Bill, who lives in nearby Pleasanton, said he had remained relatively healthy until suffering a heart attack about a decade ago.
“It didn’t really feel like a heart attack,” he said, adding that doctors inserted stents. He also has kidney problems.
Nancy moved in with her mother in 2005 after leaving her job in Oregon and eventually became her full-time caregiver. She also assists Bill, who lives alone, with medical appointments and shopping.
“I steal her a lot,” Bill joked.
During a recent PEOPLE interview, the family smiled as Nancy recalled that her mother’s cardiologist once told her she had “a 60-year-old heart.”
Bill’s cardiologist, meanwhile, told him that for a 100-year-old, his heart was performing as well as could be expected.
The family believes their longevity is partly linked to an active lifestyle, strong family support and regular medical care.
The twins were born during Prohibition and said their parents did not smoke or drink. Southwick admitted that she smoked for a period of her life, while Bill said he largely avoided alcohol.
“I had a half a beer when I got out of boot camp and I almost dozed off,” he recalled.
Bill was a high school athlete who enjoyed swimming in the ocean. He later served aboard the USS California during World War II and spent 30 years flying patrol planes in the Navy Reserve.
He eventually worked as an AT&T engineer and retired about 45 years ago.
His wife, Patricia Abbott, died in 2005 after 55 years of marriage. The couple had one child, Linda, whom they adopted when she was two years old.
After Patricia’s death, the twins and their brother Richard began travelling with Nancy and other relatives. Their trips continued for about 15 years and included visits to Hawaii and a tour of Italy, which they remembered for lost passports, missing wallets and plenty of good wine.
Their final trip took place before the COVID-19 pandemic and included a tour of Western US national parks and a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon.
Today, Southwick’s home remains a gathering place for the extended family, particularly during Christmas, when relatives come together and her grandson, Clint, takes charge of cooking.
The family also gathers to mark major milestones, including the twins’ recent centennial birthday celebration.
Despite everything they have experienced over the past century, the siblings say staying active, maintaining close family connections and receiving good medical care have helped them enjoy long and fulfilling lives.
