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Next week, longtime City of Poughkeepsie resident Florence Childress will be leaving her home at Interfaith Towers at 66 Washington St., and heading south. Childress was among the first residents to move into Interfaith Towers, shortly after it opened in 1974, and is the building’s last remaining original resident.
“It’s the ending of a chapter – a long chapter,” said Property Manager Mary Scileppi this week. “We’re all sorry to see her go.”
Scileppi said she began working at Interfaith Towers in 1987, and in the last two decades she has seen a number of the towers’ residents leave.
Childress was born in Poughkeepsie, but moved to New Jersey when she was a baby. After the death of her mother, Childress, along with her two sisters and her brother, moved to Virginia with their grandmother. After the death of their father, her brother – who was the oldest in the family – moved the family back to Poughkeepsie. Childress was 13 years old.
Before settling in Poughkeepsie for good, she moved to New York City, and then to Brooklyn, where she lived with relatives. In the 1940s, Childress returned to Poughkeepsie.
In the mid-1960s, City of Poughkeepsie officials met with the U.S. Department of Housing to discuss the prospect of affordable rental housing for senior citizens. Afterward, the 1.76-acre parcel at the corner of Mansion and Washington streets was chosen, and 15 organizations sponsored the project. Construction began in November of 1972, and after $3 million and two years, the first resident moved into the towers. Less than two months later, Childress moved into her apartment. The date was Jan. 13, 1975, and she has resided there ever since.
“It was beautiful,” recalls Childress. “It had just been built, and the people were really nice.”
Childress’s apartment – a junior one-bedroom – is on the second floor of the 12-story building. It overlooks the Mansion and Washington street intersection – a spot where Childress recalls once seeing houses.
“What hasn’t changed?” she laughed. “Most everything has changed.”
Though she’ll be 98 years old next month, Childress has remained active. She attends most of the events at Interfaith Towers, and until recently she was an avid gymnast and bowler.
“I was a lot more active until I broke my hip,” said Childress, who fell while bowling just a few years ago. “But before I fell, I heard that I bowled a strike.”
Afterward, Childress still kept busy, adding that she enjoyed trips to casinos.
Childress was recognized at the 30-year anniversary of Interfaith Towers, in 2004, and two years later she cut the ribbon at the dedication ceremony of the building’s new elevators.
“It was really nice having her there. She was tickled to be a part of it,” said Scileppi.
Employees will not be the only ones sorry to see Childress go next week.
“I’ve known Florence all my life, and I’m going to miss her very much,” said Interfaith Towers resident Mary Souser.
Souser, a lifelong Poughkeepsie resident, grew up on Water Street; she and Childress were neighbors before moving into Interfaith Towers, and now they are neighbors again.
“We really enjoy each other’s company, and I’m sad to see her go. I love her like a mother,” Souser said.
Next week Childress’s son, Dwight, will help move her to Charlotte, N.C. Dwight, formerly of Poughkeepsie, has been trying to convince his mother to move for years, but until recently, she had resisted.
“I’m getting tired, it’s getting kind of tough now. He’s been trying to get me to move down there a long time,” said Childress, who has already begun packing.
Childress will live with her son and daughter-in-law in North Carolina, and will be closer to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“I’m going to miss Poughkeepsie,” said Childress, “but I’ll still have a lot friends here.”
