Two Boca Raton Residents Celebrate 105th Birthdays Together at Sinai Residences!
Frieda “Fritzi” Siegel and Mildred “Millie” Dien are Honored with Palm Beach County Proclamation and Letters From City of Boca Raton Mayor
Boca Raton, FL – The Toby & Leon Cooperman Sinai Residences Boca Raton, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in Boca Raton, today celebrated the 105th birthdays of two residents: Frieda “Fritzi” Siegel and Mildred “Millie” Dien.
The party was attended by
- Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs’ assistant Ed Sol;
- City of Boca Raton Council Member Yvette Drucker;
- City of Boca Raton Council Member Fran Nachlas;
- CEO of Sinai Residences Rachel Blumberg;
- And lots of family and friends.
Fritzi and Millie were honored with a proclamation from PBC Mayor Maria Sachs naming it “Fritzi and Millie Day” and letters of recognition from the City of Boca Raton.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are currently just under 11,000 people aged 105 or older living in the U.S.
Frieda “Fritzi” Siegel
On February 23, 1919, Frieda Friedman was born in Brooklyn, NY, to Kate and Oscar Friedman, the eldest of three children. She had a younger brother, Milton, who passed away at the age of 39, and a younger sister who died at just nine months old. Both her parents were immigrants, her mother hailing from Russia and her father from Poland. While her mother retained a distinctly “European” demeanor, her father embraced American culture and founded a successful millinery company, capitalizing on the popularity of hats in fashion. Fritzi was among the few women to graduate from NYU, though she didn’t actively pursue a career. It was during a stay as a guest at a Catskills hotel that she met Max Siegel, a student working as a waiter. They married on November 23, 1941. Max went on to earn his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and gained international renown in his field. Together, they welcomed a son, Ozzie, in October 1944, and a daughter, Shelley, in December 1951. Currently, Fritzi enjoys the company of her six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren another expected at the end of February. Frieda lived in New York until 1980 when she relocated full-time to Boca West, where she indulged her passions for golf and canasta. Though widowed at the age of 69, she continued to lead a vibrant life. She resided independently until the age of 102 when she began to receive some assistance, all the while maintaining a keen eye on her appearance, earning her the title of a true “clotheshorse.” In November 2023, Fritzi transitioned to the Assisted Living area of Sinai Residences, where she is highly regarded by fellow residents.
Mildred “Millie” Dien
Millie was born on March 11, 1919 to immigrant parents from Hungary. Millie was the eldest of three children. She had a brother, Sam, who passed away a few years ago and a younger sister Pearl, who lives at Toby & Leon Cooperman Sinai Residences in Boca Raton as well. Millie grew up in Brooklyn and was in charge of a chemical office. She married Hyman Dien in 1941 and was married for 73 years before he passed away. They have three children: two sons and one daughter. Her boys, Jeffery and Martin, live in South Florida and her daughter Judy lives in New York. Millie is very family conscious and has always lived with or near her sister Pearl so they could raise their families together. For 29 years, they lived in the same building occupying separate apartments and her parents would spend the winters in the same building. After spending years living in Brooklyn, Millie and her husband moved to Whisper Walk gated community in South Florida, where they lived until he passed. Back in 2015, Millie’s sister Pearl first heard about Sinai Residences and signed a contract. Pearl convinced Millie to move to Sinai Residences with her and the two sisters moved into separate apartments one day apart in February of 2016. Millie said her long life is probably due to genetics as her mom lived to 102. She said she has lived an active lifestyle and was always athletic and in sports. Millie and her husband loved bowling and would bowl at least twice a week. He was a 200 bowler. She still has an active social life, playing cards and connecting with friends at Sinai. She has seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Toby & Leon Cooperman Sinai Residences Boca Raton is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community developed by Federation CCRC Development, a subsidiary of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. Highly secure, with restricted gated access, Sinai is nestled on the 100-acre Federation campus, the largest land-based federation in the country. Sinai provides a superior lifestyle for active adults through a focus on wellness, health services and a wide variety of sophisticated activities. While guided by Jewish faith and heritage, Sinai’s progressive senior living community in Boca Raton welcomes people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. Learn more at www.SinaiResidences.com.
