Worker embarrassed to attend retirement party after being fired

Jennifer writes:
I was recently fired from my janitorial job after 20-years of service.  I am 75 years old.  My manager and co-workers had asked me numerous times over the past three years when I planned on retiring.  I always responded with, “never.”  I loved my job, enjoyed the people I worked with and needed the money.  Having been a stay-at-home mom before divorcing my husband at age 55, I still have a mortgage, almost no money saved and a mere pittance of a social security check.  Three weeks before my birthday my manager called me in for a meeting, she had written me up for working too slow stating others had complained they had to complete my work.  I strongly disagreed with her statement and spent the next three weeks keeping to myself and working hard.

Around my birthday, my co-worker gave me an empty swag bag he had found in the ladies restroom (the company I worked for hosts numerous on-site conferences) and asked me if I wanted it.  I took it (despite knowing the rules – we are to turn in any left behind items to lost and found).  A week later I was called in to HR.  This very same employee had turned me in to his manager for stealing the swag bag.  I told them he had found the bag and had given it to me, though, I did admit to taking it.  He denied giving me the bag instead saying he had witnessed me stealing it.  I was fired.  

One more fact to note, my-coworker and manager are husband and wife.
Yesterday I received a phone call from one of my other co-workers; the company wants to throw me a retirement party.  The party will be held at my former place of work and supposedly everyone will be there.  I am embarrassed to show my face after what happened.  Am I obligated to attend?

Jennifer,

I sincerely believe you were not fired for stealing an empty $2 swag bag; you were forced to retire because you are 75 years-old.  Companies can’t tell you that though or they risk being sued for discrimination.  They now feel guilty and want to give you a proper send-off and thank you for emptying their trash cans and scrubbing the company urinals for the past 20-years I highly doubt your former manager and her lying back-stabbing husband will show their faces.   Go.  You deserve a proper send-off.

Also, I believe in Karma. Setting you up like this was truly shameful. I predict your company will eventually outsource their janitorial services and your former manager and back-stabbing co-worker will be the first ones to be let go.

Enjoy your retirement. You deserve it.