Northfield Resident, Grace Browning Receives Gold Cane Honor

Grace Browning, 98 of Northfield was presented with the Gold Cane on April 14 at the Senior Center at Town Hall.

Mrs. Browning stated that she was ‘dreading the whole business’ when told she was to be presented with the Gold Cane. However, after being greeted by Council on Aging Board member, Mary Jane Porter and Richard Bassett, who were both in her first grade class in Northfield , and cutting the first piece of the three tiered cake in her honor, later remarked “this has been really wonderful”.

Grace was born on December 9, 1910 in Greenfield , MA . Her mother originally came from Switzerland and her father was a ‘Vermont Yankee’. She spent her first 19 years in Bernardston attending Bald Mountain School and Powers Institute. She went on to attend Teachers College in North Adams , graduating in 1930. She taught grades 1-4 in West Northfield , Sunnyside School in Gill and then later at the new school in Gill. She retired in 1972 at the same time as her husband.

Grace married Charles Browning in 1932. They had a daughter, Marilyn, with whom she now lives. She has two grandchildren Steven and Robert Wiggin and three great-grandchildren, Seth, Taylor and Jared.

Mrs. Browning likes to spend her time doing crossword puzzles, weeding her onion garden and picking blueberries. She is an avid knitter having just completed her 28th pair of mittens which she donates to ‘Warm the Children’ or to Northfield children via a Northfield nurse.

Mrs. Browning was presented with the Gold Cane, which is kept encased in the Senior Center . She was given an article from the Boston Post regarding the long New England Tradition started in August 1909 by Mr. Edwin A. Grozier, Publisher of the Boston Post with the request that it be presented with the compliments of the Boston Post to the oldest citizen of the town. Mrs. Browning was also presented with the Boston Post pin, and a framed certificate from the Town of Northfield .

Suzanne Sweeney, Director COA