Newspaper Page Text
Page 5B
•Reporter
October 26, 2022
Celebration for those 90+ rocks M.C. Senior Center
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
As the family of Rubye
James Watts held the
32nd Annual Birthday
Celebration for Monroe
County’s 90-100-year-
olds, it was also a celebra
tion of being able to get
together in person and
enjoy music, dancing,
inspirational words and
good food together. The
annual celebration was
held as a drive-through in
2020 and 2021.
Watts, an energetic
advocate for Monroe
County and especially for
its senior citizens, noticed
that Monroe County had
a relatively large number
of residents over 90, that
many of them had made
significant contributions
to the
commu
nity dur
ing their
long lives
and that
many
were still
actively
sharing
their wis
dom. She
decided
they
should be
celebrat
ed and
orga
nized
festivi
ties.
After
her
passing,
Watts’
three
daugh
ters,
Lillian Hogan, Aretha
Thompson and Susan
Gibson, made it their
goal to keep the annual
celebration going. All
three were present at this
year’s party at the Monroe
County Senior Center
building, which is named
for Rubye James Watts.
Rev. Charles Dumas
opened the program,
followed by Rev. Tremain
Johnson offering prayer
and Rev. David Blalock
reading scripture. They
set a tone of thankfulness
and celebration. Leonard
Buckner lead the Pledge
of Allegiance; Bettye
Myrick gave remarks
about the beginning
of the celebration and
thanked the Watts family
for continuing it. Robert
Watson lit candles for
those who had passed
away since the last birth
day party, including his
wife of 59 years and his
sister and brother.
Leroy Little sang “Pre
cious Lord, Take My
Hand,” to the delight of
the crowd. “He loves what
he does,” said Aretha
Thompson. “God blessed
him with a talent, and he
doesn’t mind sharing it.”
Little’s solo was the
beginning of music that
filled the room through
much of the next hour.
The Monroe County
Senior (Fox City) Line
Dancers brought both
music and dance as
the troupe performed
three numbers. They
introduced themselves
and gave their ages. The
youngest present was 62
and the oldest was 77,
with most being in their
70’s. The Line Dancers
brought 18 performers to
the party.
The Line Dancers
practice at the Senior
Center each Wednesday
from 10-11:30 a.m. All
are invited to join and to
“do whatever your body
feels like.” The dancers
said it is their choice for
exercise and that “As long
as we’re moving there’s
always a chance someone
watching will want to get
up and dance with us.”
The program included
remarks by a representa-
The Monroe County Senior Center (Fox City) Line Dancers, 1 8 members strong, had everyone moving to the music as they
entertained at the annual 90-1 00-year-old Birthday Celebration at the Rubye James Watts building on Oct. 19.
J.B. King, second from left, presents personalized certificates to each 90-plus-
year-old at the annual birday celebration as he has for the last 32 years. He
is pictured between John Wesley Jossey,92, and his wife of almost 73 years,
Mamie. (Photos/Diane Glidewell)
five of those in their 60s,
70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Sherry
Long, Minnie Wright and
retired Forsyth police
chief Benjamin Ponder
read entertaining poems
about age to represent
their decades.
Then Mamie Jossey got
up to represent those in
their 90’s; Aretha said she
had told her she could
preach, teach, sing or
dance. Ms. Mamie picked
up the microphone,
tapped it to make sure it
was working, and gifted
the crowd with a beauti
ful rendition of “Hallelu
jah, the Storm is Passing
Over.” Almost everyone
joined in with voices and
clapping hands.
Mamie, 90, and her hus
band, John Wesley Jossey,
92, were both seated at
the head table reserved
for those 90 and above.
They will celebrate their
73rd wedding anniversary
on Jan. 7.
The music continued
with Watts’ daughter
Susan Gibson singing
“Witness.” Susan shared
not only her remarkable
voice but also her sense of
comedic timing and con
tagious energy. Now 68,
she said when she began
helping her mother with
the celebration she never
thought that it might
continue until she was a
senior, but that she had
stopped having birthdays
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get to heaven what a time
it will be” with a number
of voices joining his. King
recounted that when
Watts had the idea for the
90-100 birthday celebra
tion, she told him he
needed to type certificates
for all of the celebrants
because they needed to be
recognized. King said he
pledged to Ms. Rubye he
would type the certificates
and has been typing them
for the last 32 years.
“You have to be 90 to be
in this club,” said King,
who is 78. “It’s an honor
for me. I’ve got my seat
reserved.”
Those who received
certificates this year are
Lillian Banks, 93; Min
nie Lois Berry, 91; An
nie Mae Dewberry, 98;
Beatrice Freeman, 90;
Dr. Catheryn Futral,
94; Claudia Gibson, 95;,
Fannie Green, 91; Max
Ham, 91; Walter Ham,
92; Annie Hansford, 102;
Julia Hill, 94; Marian
Hughley, 90; Antoinette
James, 97; John Wesley
Jossey, 92; Mamie Jossey,
90; David King, 93; Alma
McCray, 96; Leila Ponder,
93; Dorothy Rodeheaver,
93; Margaret Smith,
93; Roberta Smith, 99;
Dorothy Stewart, 93;
Glover Stuart; Mildred
Stroud, 93; J.C. Walker,
90; Jessie Lou Watson,
91; Charles Wilder, 91;
Alberta McDuffy, 100;
Alberta Mosley, 90; Doris
Davis, 91.
Remember when...
1992
and is actually only 19.
“All of us in here are
really blessed,” said Susan.
“We’ve been through tri
als and tribulations.”
Aretha and Susan
bantered back and forth
as sisters might do, and
Susan said, “Don’t tell
her how to run her show.
That’s Rubye’s daughter.”
Lillian got in her bit by
saying that she took after
her father and isn’t “as
frisky as they are—unless
you mess with me.” Lillian
thanked all those who
supported the birthday
celebration and added, “If
my mom were here she’s
be the happiest one.”
J.B. King stepped to the
front of the room singing,
“When all God’s children
• Ten Monroe County teach
ers are honored with listings
in the 1992 Who's who
Among American Teach
ers: Lou Rodeheaver, Larry
Winters, Sylvia Green, Janice
Pippin, Jo Shipman, Cathy
Watts Jenkins, Janet Trim,
Carol Curry, Jim Massey,
Nancy Trevitt.
• Monroe County sends
529.72 tons of garbage to
Butts County in September
and pays $6,621 in tipping
fees.
• Monroe County pays
$26,644 to board inmates
in the Laurens County jail in
September at $35/day plus
medical expenses.
• Monroe County observes
National Textile Week in
the midst of change in the
industry.
• “Fried Green Tomatoes”
co-producers Jon Avnet
and Jordan Kerner drop by
Whistle Stop Cafe in Juliette
to the surprise of owners
Jerie Williams and Robert
Williams. They order fried
green tomatoes
• The Forsyth China Painters
will hold their 4th annua
exhibit and sale at the Farm
House Restaurant. The group
was organized in 1974.
• Monroe County Middle
School s Teacher of the Year
is Charles Randall; he is also
the middle school’s resident
computer specialist.
2002
• Mary Persons students
Katie Benson, Alan Jackson,
Elizabeth Fry, Jason Spykes
and Joelle Freeman with
the help of art teacher
Kecia McGouirk, agriculture
teacher Isaac Ferrell and
personnel coordinator Sheila
Smith, decorate the sguare
for Halloween.
• The Backlot Players will
hold its annual “Picnic on the
Sguare’ fundraiser fundraiser
on Saturday.
• Walter Culver, 42, pleads
guilty to felony murder and
concealing a death in Mon
roe County and is sentenced
to life in prison.
• For the next 10 months
there will be an 18-mile de
tour while the Georgia Dept,
of Transportation replaces
the structurally deficient
bridge on Highway 42 at
Echoconee Creek.
• Paramount Films comes
to High Falls State Park to
film “The Fighting Tempta
tions" with Cuba Gooding
Jr. and Beyonce’ Knowles of
Destiny's Child.
• Commissioners approve a
resolution authorizing Mon
roe County Development
Authority to sell the former
Tift College property to the
state.
• Hubbard Alumni Asso
ciation receives a $30,600
grant, the highest awarded,
from the Dept, of Natural
Resources Historic Preserva
tion Division to replace the
roof and add gutters and
downspouts on the old Hub
bard Girls Dormitory.
• Lillian Davis presents a
check for the profits from
the Culloden Blues Festiva
($1,178) to Culloden to
help restore the old Negro
dchoolhouse.
• Fifty-six first-year students
at Mercer University $chool
of Medicine, including
Patrice Chambliss and Wil
liam Taunton Jr. of Forsyth,
receive their first lesson in
compassion at the annua
White Coat ceremony.
• The first Annual Monroe
County Toy Run to benefit
the C.A.R.E. Cottage will be
Nov. 2 with activities after
the event at Monroe County
Moose Lodge.
• Benson Ham and his wife,
Ruth, join over 7,000 citizens
on Capitol Hill in Washing
ton, D.C. to talk with Con
gress about programs of the
American Cancer $ociety.
• Rocky Creek ATV track
in Culloden, managed by
Bennett Norris, has more
than 20 miles of trails, hills,
water holes and jumps that
attract 200-300 riders each
weekend.
• Grover Watts moved his
service station to Forsyth
on Jan. 4, 1991; eleven
years later Leane Watts,
28, inherited Watts $ervice
Center Inc. from her father
and begins operating it on
her own.
2012
• Democratic incumbent
James Vaughn, elected as
chair in 2008, and Re
publican Mike Bilderback,
who has served two terms
as District 3 commissioner,
are candidates for Monroe
County commission chair.
• When early voting opens
at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 15
there are seven citizens in
ine ready to cast their bal
lots, including 80-year-old
Janie Willis who is voting for
the first time.
• $tudents and other volun
teers with Monroe County
Kingdom Builders answer
prayers for local homeown
ers who need repairs.
• A 1 3-year-old Pike County
boy dies from injuries in an
ATV accident at a Monroe
County hunting club.
• Greg Gordon, who lives in
Crawford County and was
previously a supervisor in the
Warner Robins post office, is
the new officer in charge at
the Forsyth post office.
• Monroe County Board of
Education borrows $3 million
on a tax anticipation note. It
gets a .75% interest rate at
Farmers Bank until tax bills
start coming in.
• Monroe County Habitat
for Humanity is selecting the
family for its next house; it
has received 17 applica
tions.
• Lynsey $anderson wins
the Mega $upreme Beauty
title and other accolades
and prizes in the Beauties of
Paradise pageant in Atlanta.
• Monroe County Health
Department will give flu vac
cines during early voting as
part of the national ‘Vote &
Vax' project.
• The 201 2 Middle Georgia
Market Lamb $how is held
at $leepy Creek Farms in
$marr with FFA and 4-H
competitors from Butts, La
mar, Monroe, Pike, $palding
and Upson counties.
• The Mary Persons
sophomore ladies win the
Powderpuff game at Dan
Pitts $tadium.
• Tyra Parker, a 2008 Mary
Persons graduate, wi II fight
in a major mixed martial arts
bout in Duluth. The fight is
expected to draw severa
thousand spectators.
• Forsyth rejects requests to
fish at its Tobesofkee Creek
reservoir, citing a 1986
agreement with landowners.
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