For her 100th birthday, Helen Nixon wore a bright red hat, a bold statement for a woman who spent most of her life quietly taking care of others.

During the "Hats Off to Helen" celebration last Tuesday, the retired nurse's eyes sparkled as she clapped along with some of her favorite songs. She enjoyed watching others dance during the birthday party at Woodside Place at Presbyterian SeniorCare, a facility for people with Alzheimer's and other related dementias.

She was born on Oct. 3, 1909, one of 13 children. She received her nursing degree in 1929 from the City of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. In 1931, she married James Nixon, and they lived in Polish Hill and Lawrenceville. The marriage lasted 49 years, until his death in 1980. They had three daughters: Helen Weidenhofer of New Castle, Dorothy Nixon of Oakmont and Joan Rauch of Boston. Two of the three children followed in their mother's footsteps, becoming nurses.

An obstetrics nurse, she worked at Magee-Womens and West Penn hospitals, retiring at age 65. During World War II, she knitted socks for soldiers. In 2006, Mrs. Nixon moved into Woodside Place.

Over the past century, Margaret Reich has made thousands of men look good. Most were customers of Alex Reich Clothes, the East Liberty men's clothing store that she founded with her husband in 1941.

She was born on Oct. 21, 1909, in McKeesport, the eldest of Grace and Joseph Spiegel's seven children. She met her husband, the late Alex Reich, when both worked for Fintex, a Detroit-based men's store.

They married on April 11, 1937, and had three children: Jim of Squirrel Hill; Judy Grand of St. Louis; and Jay of Washington, D.C.

When Alex Reich Clothes opened in August 1941, Mr. Reich was in charge of marketing and merchandising and Mrs. Reich handled the books. The couple enjoyed Hungarian gypsy music and were charter members of Temple Sinai in Squirrel Hill.

After Mr. Reich died in 1966, Mrs. Reich and her older son, Jim, operated the business until 1980, when it closed. After that, she worked until 1994 doing the books for her son's business, Reich-Frank Clothes in Squirrel Hill. Mrs. Reich now lives in Weinberg Terrace in Squirrel Hill, where she will celebrate with fellow residents and family on her birthday. On Sept. 13, Alex Udvary of Chicago and two other Hungarian gypsy musicians performed for Mrs. Reich and friends at Weinberg.

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