Friends and five generations of family members gathered ’round Margaret “Marge” Rooney on July 15 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Center, Bethlehem, to celebrate her 90th birthday.

The theme of the surprise party was “1927 was a very good year,” and the room was decorated accordingly.

Each table was adorned with sheets of paper listing fun facts from 1927, coasters displaying the year and PEZ candies and Kool-Aid packets, both of which were invented in 1927.

Guests looked through photo albums containing memories of Rooney and were invited to share their own memories of her by writing them down on slips of paper and placing them in the memory jar.

When Rooney arrived, she was greeted by 70 guests who knew her through either personal or professional connections, both areas of life in which she found success.

After she graduated from Sacred Heart Nursing School, Rooney found employment at Sacred Heart Hospital where she stayed until 1993.

She began as a nurse in obstetrics, but transitioned later to working in the operating room. Several retired Sacred Heart nurses were in attendance.

The five generations of family present at the celebration attested to Rooney’s success in her personal life.

At age 90, she has four sons, 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter, many of whom were present. Her sister and brother also came in from Cary, N.C., and Lewisburg, Union County, respectively.

The nonagenarian commented on the surprise party.

“[It was] really a surprise with all the kids, the family ...” she said. “It’s wonderful to think, at my age, that all the kids think so much to do this. It means a lot.”