91-year-old keeps streak alive, attends Monongahela day in Kennywood
Photo courtesy of Crystal May Jones
From left, Wendy Sue Jones, her 91-year-old mother, Constance Lester, and Jones’ daughter, Crystal May Jones, pose for a photo Wednesday in front of the Racer roller coaster at Kennywood Park, where they are taking part in the annual Monongahela Community Day.
Courtesy of Crystal May Jones
Constance Lester, 91, of New Eagle, sits with her family Wednesday for their annual reunion at Kennywood Park on Monongahela Community Day.
Courtesy of Crystal May Jones
Constance Lester, 91, of New Eagle, sits with her family Wednesday for their annual reunion at Kennywood Park on Monongahela Community Day.
Constance Lester has been attending the Monongahela Community Day in Kennywood for at least 70 years.
“She hasn’t missed a year,” Lester’s granddaughter, Crystal Mae Jones of Pittsburgh, said Wednesday. “She’s been going since it was just a merry-go-round and a pavilion. It’s been a huge family tradition.”
This year, Lester, 91, was greeted at the entrance by Kennywood employees, who thanked her for coming all these years. They brought out the Kennywood arrow and took pictures with her.
“It’s going to be a long day, but she’s super excited,” Jones said earlier Wednesday. “She’s getting her hair done this morning.”
The tradition started long before Jones was born, and it was all started by her “Gram.”
“My earliest memories include walking around in Kiddieland with my grandma and grandpa,” she said. “I loved getting cotton candy with Gram and Pap.”
Jones said her grandmother grew up in the Mon Valley, and lived most of her life in New Eagle and Monongahela. Lester worked in the cafeteria at Ringgold “for ages,” Jones said. Lester has always loved the Monongahea day in Kennywood because she’d run into people she knew and be able to catch up with neighbors and friends.
Jones said that day was always the highlight of her summer, too.
“Even when I was little, my cousins and I would roll change to save up money to go,” Jones said. “We were there when the park opened, and we would stay until they sang the good night song when it closed.”
She said Lester would sing that song all the way out of the park.
“We’d stop to get candy apples on the way out, and we’d be the last people out of the park,” Jones said.
Most of Lester’s family still lives in the Mon Valley, and they usually have a crowd of 30 people. Her son Keith Lester has been bringing her every year, even when other family can’t make it.
Lester’s favorite Kennywood traditions include funnel cake and Potato Patch fries, Jones said.
“She loved riding the Racer rollercoaster and the Whip,” Jones said.
Lester might not be able to do rides this year, her granddaughter said. That’s OK, Jones said, because Lester’s favorite part of the Kennywood days was watching her grandchildren.
“She’d spend her time in Kiddieland watching the grandkids have a good time,” Jones said. “This year she’ll be watching her three great-grandchildren.”