TIVERTON — When Amelia Camara turned 100 years old on Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, over 100 friends and family gathered for a party at Sandywoods Community Center to celebrate her birthday. Later, the Town Council at its meeting Monday night passed a congratulatory proclamation.

Ms. Camara all her life has given back to Tiverton, as the proclamation read aloud by Council President Jay Lambert chronicled. One of five children of Benjamin and Josephine Souza Camara, she has been a lifelong Tiverton resident, growing up in the historic Captain Robert Gray House.

For over 55 years she served as the volunteer organist at Saint Madeleine Sophie Church on Lake Road, taught catechism classes there for many years, and remains one its communicants to this day.

Beginning in 1942 she began a 30-year career at the Newport Naval Hospital, serving as purchasing officer and paymaster for many of those years.

She was, in the words of the council's proclamation, "a member of the Tiverton Budget Committee for many years" and "was also a member of the Democratic Town Committee for many years, was very active in town politics and continues to vote in elections to this date. ...She "enjoys being a homemaker and is an avid gardner."

"Be it therefore proclaimed," the council saidl,  "That every official and citizen of the Town of Tiverton extends to Amelia Camara and her family the very best wishes and blessed assurance for continued good health and peace."

Among the members of her family present in Town Council chambers for the occasion were nephews Ray and Robert Camara, and grand nephews Brad Camara (of Tiverton) and Ray Camara (of New England, North Dakota).