EAST FALMOUTH—On the day Grace Catrambone was born 100 years ago, her mother knew the baby was destined to be a dancer. Her toes just wouldn't stop moving.
Little has changed since May 27, 1924.
Catrambone is often on her feet and on the go, whether speed-rolling her walker to Walmart or line-dancing three days a week. Along the way, her big laugh and small stature earned her the nickname Tiny the Dancer, coined by her late twin brother, Anthony.
The select board cemented that name earlier this month when leaders gave Catrambone a birthday present unlike any she's received in her lifetime: her own day. May 27 has been designated Grace Catrambone aka Tiny the Dancer Day.
Born on the family farm in East Falmouth, Catrambone was the youngest of 15 children; today she's the only survivor.
"I had sisters and brothers, and I loved them all, but not like Anthony," she told CAI in an interview at her apartment, where she has lived for 38 years. "To the day he died we still fought for one another."
Catrambone has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Her birthday plans include a celebration at church and a separate party at home — with plenty of dancing.
"If you have love, you give love. If you don't have faith, you have nothing," she said. "You have to have faith to survive."
