96-year-old woman receives honorary diploma

Quakertown, Pa. (WTXF) - It's the moment she's waited for nearly a lifetime. At 96 years old Florence DiPasquale-Bruno received an honorary diploma. The Quakertown Community School Board presented Florence with the diploma during a board meeting Thursday night. Her sisters, daughters, a son-in-law, grand and great grandchildren were all there to witness it. Florence said it was a total surprise.

"It means the world to me really. I just can't believe this is happening at my age," she said.

The family explained that Florence left school in the 10th grade to take care of her sick mother, father and six brothers. She was the only girl and says she took on the responsibility so the men could do the farming to support the family.

"I was responsible for a lot of things but that's the way I was brought up. But I was glad that I was able to do it," she said.

Florence was overwhelmed with joy getting a feel of how graduation day would have been.

"I never thought I'd wear a cap and gown since I had to give up school to take care of my mother which I wasn't sorry that I did," she said.

Holding flowers and her diploma she vowed to never let it out of her sight.

"This? I'm going to hang it up where I can see it every day," said Florence. Her granddaughter describes her as spunky, she loves to play rummy, corn hole and she rarely misses a Phillies or Eagles game. They say making it possible for her to receive her diploma was the family's mission.

"She's the matriarch of an amazing family and we're happy for her and for us," said her granddaughter Michele Bruno.