Beatrice is a healthy, vibrant 106 year old resident of Rogerson’s moderate income cooperative housing. She came to Rogerson 7 years ago at the recommendation of her grandson and a friend who lived in the building she would soon move into.

Beatrice, a deeply spiritual woman, divorced her  husband during WWII and brought her only son to Boston  where she raised him — working 3 jobs, putting him through college and launching him on a successful career. She relied strongly on her faith, saying “I talk to God all the time and I tell him exactly what’s going on and I know that he will take care of me if I try my best to work hard and be a good person — I may not always get  what I want but my needs are always met. He has always taken such good care of me.”

Beatrice has long been a  strong member of her church community, was well respected in her work, and one of the first women of color to be promoted from the factory to the administrative offices at her job. She was also proud to be best friends with her son throughout his life.

“I love it here, I have everything I need. It is so nice to not worry about taking care of a big old house.”

Beatrice, resident
Rogerson communities

After a lifetime of being on her own, at almost 80 years old Beatrice married a dear widower friend with whom she’d fallen in love. For nearly twenty years they lived together in a big beautiful home in Roxbury where she later cared for him through his battle with cancer and his passing on. Then, alone in a large home with a roof that needed repairing, Beatrice decided it was time to start the next chapter of her life.

Only one community away from where she’d lived most of her life was Rogerson’s solution to her needs. Beatrice has now lived the past 3 years in Rogerson’s cooperative housing. She’s made many friends, is an involved neighbor helping other residents whenever she can, and comes and goes from the town square with ease to shop, walk, and get to and from church.

She says of her new home, “I love it here, I have everything I need. The folks here are so kind and helpful. It’s so nice to not worry about taking care of a big old house. Just last month there was a leak in the roof and Rogerson came and fixed it.”