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Mrs Lydia Dolitka was awarded Franklin’s Boston Post Cane on
October 22, 2026, being Franklin’s oldest resident at 103 years
young.
The reception took
place at Magnolia Heights Gracious Retirement Living in Franklin and
was well attended by Mrs. Dolitka’s family and friends. She was
presented the cane by Town Clerk Nancy Danello, alongside a
proclamation by the the Town of Franklin recognizing her achievement.
Mrs Dolitka was also presented with a proclamation by the
Massachusetts House of Representatives by State Representative
Jeffrey Roy.
Lydia (Cifaldo)
Dolitka was born on December 21, 1923 in Newton Highlands, as one of
five children in an Italian-American family. She takes great
pride in her independence and supported herself with several jobs
through her lifetime. In 1950, Lydia married Frank Dolitka and went
on to have two children, Katherine and David. Family is very
important to Mrs. Dolitka, and she remembers fondly spending summers
with her children, nieces and nephews at their cottage in Plymouth.
She enjoyed 63 years of marriage with her husband Frank until his
passing in 2013.
Mrs. Dolitka moved
to Franklin in 2021 and continues to exercise her independence,
attending yoga classes to remain active and enjoys reading and
watching television. Her fierce independence, determination and love
for her family testifies to her strength of character and the
incredible life she lives.
[Text from Town Clerk, as posted at Franklin Historical Museum]
The Boston Post Cane tradition began in 1909 when the Boston Post newspaper distributed gold-headed ebony canes to 700 New England towns to honor their oldest living male residents. In 1930, eligibility expanded to women. The cane was passed to each successive oldest resident upon the previous recipient’s death. Although the newspaper ceased publication in 1956, many communities, including towns in Massachusetts, including Franklin, continue the tradition today.
