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Betty Preguber celebrates her 100th birthday Saturday with her daughter, Patricia Allen, left, and her son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Patricia Prenguber.

North Adams Woman Celebrates 100 Years

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Betty Prenguber receives a certificate from the House from state Rep. John Barrett III.
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Elizabeth "Betty" Prenguber celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family Saturday.
 
The world was much different in 1918 the year she was born: Woodrow Wilson was president; World War I had ended, and the Boston Red Sox won their last World Series until 2004.
 
"As long as she is smiling I know she is OK … just a super lady very supportive of her family and a very supportive mother," her son, Joseph Prenguber, said. "… She always put her family first."
 
Her birthday was Aug. 15 but the family held a special party at Joseph's house in Clarksburg on Saturday and state Rep. John Barrett III presented her with a certificate from the state House of Representatives. 
 
The daughter of Nicholas and Catherine DelNegro, Joseph said his mom was the last surviving sibling of their 13 children. She and her late husband, Joseph P. Prenguber, were married May 3, 1941, in St. Anthony's Church. Her husband died in 2002.
 
Betty's daughter, Patricia Allen, said age never stopped her mother from seeing the world and helping others. At age 80, she toured Italy and, at 90, was still driving and volunteering at the hospital and nursing home.
 
Joseph said his mom was never one to act her age.
 
"She was 91 years old and she was volunteering at that time at the nursing home," he said. "I was visiting her one day and asked her what she did that day and she said she wheeled old people around in their wheelchairs. I said, 'mom you are the old people' she was older than the people she was wheeling around."
 
Betty didn’t have any specific advice for reaching 100 but did say it helps to laugh a lot.
 
"I don’t know," she said. "My sense of humor maybe."

Tags: birthday,   centennial,   

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Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.

Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.

"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.

"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."

The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.

Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."

"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."

The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a  $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

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