Perfil
Deborah Szekely
99 AND GOING STRONG BY : NICHOLE NAOUM
Few would dispute
that Deborah Szekely has lived life to the fullest . Known as the “ godmother of wellness ,” the Brooklynborn wellness guru has dedicated her life to improving the spiritual and physical wellbeing of others across California and Mexico . As she nears 100 , she still walks the walk . And unlike many of her contemporaries , her passion for healthy living was instilled during her early years and remains strong to this day .
Deborah was born in the spring of 1922 , at the height of the prohibition era . She shared with GB Magazine , “ When I was four , my mother became the Vice President of the New York Vegetarian Society and that set me on a path for life .” With the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed , Deborah and her family relocated to Tahiti , where food was in abundance and the opportunities were limitless .
In the latter 1930s , when the employment rate of American women was just over 25 percent , Deborah worked in Guadalajara as an assistant to philosopher , psychologist , and natural living enthusiast , Edmund Bordeaux Szekely , who she later married in 1939 . Together , the pair set out to open a one-ofa-kind “ eco ” resort in Tecate , Baja California just South of the border in Mexico .
In 1940 , Rancho La Puerta opened its doors . This world-renowned fitness camp and spa features spacious studios , weekly cooking classes , and 32 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens .
As Rancho La Puerta grew in popularity , Deborah and Edmund decided to build a smaller , more private retreat in Escondido . Launched in 1958 , Golden Door has hosted guests from the likes of Elizabeth Taylor , Oprah Winfrey , Martha Stewart , and Barbara Streisand . While the property has been a temporary sanctuary for a number of A-listers , Deborah ’ s altruism never wavered . 100 percent of Golden Door ’ s net profits go to philanthropic causes .
At age 79 , Deborah launched the New Americans Museum at Liberty Station in 2008 to chronicle the lives of immigrants and
44 GBSAN . COM | MAY 2022