Rosemarie Carlisle, 101. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

One hundred years ago, three girls found themselves in various corners of the world.

“I remember when they were building the Golden Gate Bridge,” says Rosemarie Carlisle. “The day it opened, my girlfriends and I were one of the first people to walk over it.”

Toni Banks was in Manila, and she recalls her childhood best friend. “I remember playing sports with my friend Nina, whose father was the ambassador to Spain. We went everywhere together.”

And in New York City, a teenage Annette Warren Smith was getting her big break with jazz pianist Phil Moore. “He said he had 15 minutes for me to play piano at 8 o’clock. I played Chopin, and I was there until midnight.”

A century later, the women are now neighbors at Harbor Terrace Retirement Community in San Pedro, having lived long and storied lives. Rosemarie, 101, would go on to raise four children with her husband, whom she met during World War II, all of whom she proudly put through college and now have children of their own.

Meanwhile, Toni, 102, weathered the occupation of the Philippines during the war before eloping with an American sailor to San Pedro, where she raised a family while managing the cafeteria at South Shores Elementary School.

And Annette, 101, would go on to become an accomplished vocalist, dubbing Hollywood stars like Lucille Ball and Ava Gardner.

With so many experiences, we sat down with the three in August to see if we could learn what they had to teach about life, longevity, and more. Here’s what they told us.

ON HEALTH & LONGEVITY
When it comes to the secret to longevity, it turns out there’s no correct answer.

“I eat the wrong things: white rice, white bread, and pasta. And I don’t have a diet,” says Toni, adding that she never eats vegetables. “I eat what I feel like eating, and if I don’t like it, I don’t eat it.” Though she kept a garden throughout her life and exercises daily, she’s taken a relaxed approach to health, one that Annette contradicts. “My mother was very interested in nutrition, and she was a distributor for a vitamin company,” she explains. “She would say, ‘Here honey, eat this, it’ll keep you young. I took a lot of supplements.” Rosemarie is more of a middle ground — in her opinion, the secret to a long life is simply luck and wisdom. “I was lucky enough to have the sense to listen to my doctors,” she says. “That, and good genes.”

Annette Warren Smith, 101. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

ON HARDSHIP
Regarding life’s challenges, the women emphasize the importance of staying positive, although Toni admits it hasn’t always been easy. During World War II, she was working as a volunteer nurse in the Philippines when her appendix ruptured. She underwent emergency surgery without anesthesia — and at one point, the surgeons had to stop halfway through the operation to take shelter from bombings. “That and having to leave our house many years ago was the only stress I had,” says Toni. “Today, I think positively and always try to be kind to everybody.”

Annette, who spent many years teaching meditation in addition to singing, feels the same. “I don’t recognize stress. I was always interested in meditating and everything that keeps you stress-free, so I practiced them.” She believes a positive mindset, even in challenging situations, is essential to a happy life. “Laughter is the most alive and loving thing you can do — and I laugh a lot!” she says, laughing, of course. “I see the humor in almost everything.”

ON LIFE
When asked for her greatest life advice, Toni again cites positivity. “People need to be positive, never be negative. And if you see someone, you need to have compassion for that person.”

Rosemarie strikes a similar tone. “You must be good to each other, stop fighting, and hold your temper,” she says. “And be determined. Make up your mind and stick with it.”

Reflecting on her career, Annette stresses that manifesting your goals — meaning seeing yourself already having achieved them, even if you haven’t — is critical in reaching them. She describes how she took that advice herself after seeing a casting call to dub Ava Gardner in Showboat. “I was in the kitchen reading the paper, and I put my coffee cup down and said, ‘That’s my job,’” she recalls. “I really believed it. I believed it, and I got it.”

Despite a storied career, Annette considers her greatest achievement to be her marriage to jazz pianist Paul Smith, which lasted for over 50 years. When asked what made it work, her answer is simple. “Approach each other with love,” she says. “When things get tough — and they will — always make the loving choice.”

Toni Banks, (102). (photo: John Mattera Photography)

ON WHAT IT ALL MEANS
Director of Resident Services at Harbor Terrace Judith Diamond, has known Annette, Toni, and Rosemarie for years, and she’s excellent at making sense of what their advice means.

“I think what we can learn from them is that there isn’t one picture of what 100 [years old] looks like,” she says. “First, you have Toni; she’ll just sit there and laugh. And then Annette, who’d never even hurt a fly – she’s such a sweet soul. And then you have Rose, who’s feisty. She just goes out and does it.”

Judith believes that one of the greatest lessons the trio has to teach goes beyond health, longevity, and love. “Lots of times, we dismiss people because they are older. If you ever run into someone that’s gotten that far, sit down with them,” says Judith. “They’re excited to tell you their story, and if you just take the time to talk, you’ll see that they have such amazing things to say.” spt