In a remarkable achievement, longtime Berkeley resident Mila Mangold celebrated her 113th birthday in November, reportedly making her one of the 30 oldest people in the entire world.
Mrs. Mangold raised her family on Magnolia Street in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood and, though she now resides in an assisted living facility in El Cerrito, she remains a local legend on the tree-lined, close-knit block.
When Berkeleyside wrote a story about Mila Mangold to mark her 112th birthday, neighbors recalled her collecting fallen fruit from the prolific orange tree outside her home so people wouldn’t slip on the sidewalk. She would sometimes made marmalade from the oranges to share with her neighbors.
Because of her astonishing age, COVID-19 is actually the second pandemic Mrs. Mangold has lived through. Her son, Donald Mangold, told Berkeleyside his mother has clear memories, growing up in Nebraska, of the 1918 Spanish flu. Other fun facts: Mrs. Mangold has a patent for a milk carton carrier and wrote a poem that is included in the archives of the Library of Congress.
Berkeleyside would like to wish Mrs. Mangold a very happy birthday.
