Celebrating 100

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 20, 2006

With residents living to be 100, Shelby County water could well be packaged as the &8220;Fountain of Youth.&8221;

Two women have recently turned 100 years old and one will celebrate her centennial birthday tomorrow.

Mayme Horn of Columbiana lives in Shang-ri La nursing home and is a long-time resident of the city. &8220;I came here as a bride in 1932,&8221; she said. The 1929 Auburn grad taught school for 28 years and actively participated in the community. From participating in clubs and organizations to playing the organ for church, weddings and around 900 funerals, Horn&8217;s 100 years have been busy and active. &8220;I haven&8217;t thought about it in terms of years. I just did day-by-day, whatever came up,&8221; she said.

Grateful to her friends in the community she added, &8220;The people in Columbiana were wonderful and accepted me.&8221;

&8220;There&8217;s a little Irish song called &8216;A little bit of heaven fell to earth one day,&8217; so I think a little piece of heaven fell to Columbiana one day. I have enjoyed my life here.&8221;

Horn has lived in Shang-ri La for five years now. Her church, First United Methodist Church of Columbiana will celebrate her birthday with a reception on Christmas Eve at 11 a.m.

Josie Lawley&8217;s 100th birthday was Nov. 21st, but her birthday bash was held Dec. 14 at the Pea Ridge Senior center. Mike Royer from Channel 13 joined the 101 guests in attendance. Royer included Lawley in his report, &8220;The Spirit of Alabama,&8221; which aired Dec. 14.

The Pea Ridge resident lives with her daughter, Beulah Lawley. &8220;She said she thought she&8217;d never live to be 100 years old,&8221; said Beulah of her mother.

Lawley is still an active member of Ebeneezer United Methodist Church, attending every Sunday according to Beulah.

At 100 years old she said, &8220;Sometimes I don&8217;t feel too good.&8221; However, she enjoys her time now in the city she was born and raised in. &8220;I go church at Ebennezer and I go to Shelby County senior citizens center, and I sing church songs when I can,&8221; she explained.

Mary Sellers was born in McCalla Dec. 12.

She was the church secretary at her church for over 30 years, sang in the choir and liked to quilt. She has three children, six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

She is now a resident at Laurelton Rehab and Nursing Center in Alabaster.

When a staff member at Laurelton asked her how it feels to be turning 100 years old she asked, &8220;How did everybody know my birthday?&8221; She then added, &8220;I&8217;m getting up there. I want to thank everybody for the cards and acknowledgements and I just hope to stay in good health and I feel like I did 100 years ago.&8221;