On Saturday August 18, the Florence Eastman Post 280 of the American Legion, honored its most senior member, Mary C. (Clare) Doyle, Major (Retired) U.S.A., with a certificate of appreciation for her 68 years of continuous membership as well as celebrating her 100 year birthday.
Clare, as she is known by those close to her, formerly lived in Mattapoisett and turned 100 years old on Thursday, August 16. She is now residing in an assisted living facility in Meredith, NH.
The recognition of Clare’s service to her country as a U.S. Army Nurse as well as her long life was particularly appropriate to all nurses as the Mattapoisett American Legion Post 280 was named in honor of Florence Eastman, a WWI U.S. Army nurse, who died at age 24 on active duty at Camp Mills, Long Island, while serving 1918 flu victims.
Florence Eastman coincidentally was the daughter of Russell Blanchard Eastman, the last Ned’s Point Lighthouse keeper, before the “keeper’s house” was floated to Wing’s Neck Light in 1923.
