I last wrote about Milly Gordon Haniford as a centenarian commemorating her 100th birthday in the February 2009 issue of Forever Young. It’s a joy to feature Milly three years later as she celebrates the 103rd anniversary of her birth. The previous article was centered around the theme “She’s truly remarkable!” It seems unimaginative to repeat that same expression, but I just can’t conjure a better phrase to capture the essence of this special lady.

The lovely Milly is always impeccably groomed and beautifully dressed in coordinated outfits and accessories. If her physical appearance isn’t enough to make you want to know her better, you’ll be enchanted by her indomitable spirit, upbeat attitude and quick sense of humor.

A life-long Buffalonian, Milly Hirsch was born in 1908, attending School 39 and Hutchinson High. She married Nathan Gordon in 1931.

After a 40-year marriage, and his untimely death in 1970, Milly continued to run their business, Gordon Provisioning, for many years. (Located at the foot of Commercial Street, the company was a major supplier to the freighters that came through Buffalo’s bustling waterfront.)

She married Jack Haniford in 1972 and was wed to him for 28 years, until his death in 1999.

Still active and spry, Milly attributes her health to the the fact that in her 40s and 50s, she “exercised like crazy. I swam, I biked. I only gave it up in recent years.”

For years, Milly was a fixture at the Jewish Community Center on Delaware, regularly swimming, using the treadmill and riding the recumbent bike. Even today, friends at the gym regularly ask her son, “Where’s your mom? We miss her!”

Most amazing is Milly’s view on independent living. She thrives on the fact that she’s been in the same home for 65 years.

No, it’s not the easy one-floor plan patio home favored by the downsizing boomers of today. It’s a traditional two-story colonial in North Park district, with full flights of stairs to both second floor and basement.

She doesn’t hesitate to use the stairs and attributes her longevity to the fact that they’re in her regular routine. “Stairs do not mean anything to me — they present no problem,” reflects Milly with a hearty outlook. “I’ve raised a family in that house and I’m still living in it.

“Who’d have thought I’d ever turn 103 and still be in that home with no cane and no help? I only hope I can stay there.”

An avid cook, Milly edited the cookbook Measure-for-Pleasure for Temple Beth Zion decades ago. The volume is still well-used in many kitchens, and she gets the occasional call inquiring where one can possibly buy a copy these years later.

Having established herself as one of the great cooks and bakers in the Jewish community, her kids get a big kick out of her penchant for fast food. Her favorite places are Ted’s Hot Dogs and Bob & John’s Pizza, as well as May Jen for Chinese food.

She tends to go out for dinner with friends four or five nights a week, and she’s on a perpetual quest to find the best hamburger. (Her current favorites are found at Loughran’s Bar & Restaurant in Snyder and Wellington Pub on Hertel.)

Milly confesses to being a political junkie. In the evenings, she watches television. Her standard channels are MSNBC or CNN; she does not watch conservative stations or sitcoms. She’ll eagerly talk about current events.

She’s an avid Buffalo Bills fan. Milly has followed their games since the franchise’s inception, and has watched the games religiously since they were first covered on television. She hasn’t missed a game since her second husband died in 1999.

(Her septuagenarian son, Dick Gordon, recalls that when his friends from law school would come to their home to study, Milly would be watching a game in the background and need to apologize for getting too excited.)

Milly confesses that after two happy marriages, it was after Jack’s death that she started “indulging” herself, explaining, “I can make dinner for myself whenever I want and whatever I want!”

Milly has no interest in watching a movie. She’d prefer to read, noting, “I just love getting into a good book.” She’s an eager reader, regularly consuming at least four books a week.

Her routine has her going to the library (the Montrose and Kenmore branches) every other week, selecting about eight books to take home, dismissing one or two, and thoroughly reading the rest. She appears to know every author cold; when she finds an author she likes, she reads everything that writer has published.

She especially loves biographies, and they line her bookshelves. She’s read everything written about Barack Obama, as well as everything that Obama has written.

Milly has two children, four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great-greats. Her children and grandchildren are very attentive, though some are distances away (California, Chicago, New Jersey.) She spends a lot of time communicating with them by phone and she cherishes phone time with each of them.

One granddaughter traditionally checks in every Friday afternoon for hour-long calls. Her sister-in-law, Buffalonian Bea Haniford, phones every morning at 9:30 a.m.

Her actual birthday was November 14, though the celebration bridged the actual date for weeks. In October, Milly was honored along with four other centenarians by the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies at an event at Kleinhans Music Hall.

She’s been feted by out-of-town relatives and guests, including her devoted ex-son-in-law from Minneapolis and his significant other, and a grandchild from California who came to spend a day.

Recently, her nieces and nephews came to Buffalo for a family event at 800 Maple. She was taken to lunch by a series of friends, and will then reciprocate on their birthdays — a cycle that beautifully repeats year-after-year.

Her family and friends circle ’round, each thrilled to be a part of her life. Kathy Gordon, Milly’s daughter-in-law for half-a-century, sees her as “very loving, caring and generous in her roles as mother-in-law, grandparent to our two daughters, and now, in relationships to our sons-in-law and grandchildren.”

She and her mother-in-law are simpatico in many ways: “Mum and I are on the same wavelength in a very significant area — we like oatmeal for breakfast, a bagel with lunch and plenty of decaf coffee.”

Milly always enjoys spending time with her son, telling me in confidence, “I’d never make it without Dick.”

For this 103-year-old, life is truly beautiful. She’s an inspiration for all of us.

Barry A. Muskat is the architecture critic for Buffalo Spree and a longtime admirer of Mildred Gordon Haniford.