BEDFORD – Saturday family, friends, and neighbors turned out to wish a local woman a “Happy Birthday” it was a day of celebration that very few are able to boast about.
Millie Younger turned 100 years old on May 5, 2021, and off course it just had to be celebrated.
Her favorite quote is ” I’m getter older, but I’m Younger” according to her family.
Younger credits her long life to good living, beans and cornbread, gravy and biscuits, and everything fried in lard.
Her life growing up was not easy, like most people living in that period of time, it consisted of hard work. She has lived on their 20-acre lot since 1947.
“Life is what you make it out to be, life can be bad or it can be good but it can be overcome no matter what,” said Younger.
“I have done a few bad things and a few good things but still I am doing,” Younger added. She has faced adversity and met the challenges with the resilience to just move forward no matter what life threw at her.
She raised three children who include her oldest Jerry, Bob, and Libby Kortea with the middle son Bob passing away thirteen years ago.
Her son Jerry who is 82 years old, traveled from Orlando, Florida to be a part of Saturday’s celebration.
“She was a very strong disciplinarian, which if you got out of line, she would let you know it,” said Jerry Younger.
A neighbor Jenifer Clouse looks after Younger and cares for her. “It takes me a little bit to get to mom’s house from Bedford so, if mom pushes her pendent for help, Jenifer is always the first one here. Jenifer has been a good neighbor and we have several good neighbors around here,” said Libby Kortea, Millie’s daughter.
“I told her I would keep her in the house as long as I could, and we have good help that comes in. She has always been a hard worker and Dad has put out a big garden,” said Kortea.
“Mom knew how to can and knew how to sew clothes and has passed down those attributes down to me. In passing down mother-to-daughter advice she always told us to do the job right the first time, so we do not have to go back and do it again. If I did not do it right the first time she made me go back and do it again,” Kortea added.
“She always put a smile on your face, no matter what kind of day you are having, every day is a gift,” in handing down advice to her daughter.
Many of those reflecting on the memories that were made in the home as they looked around reminiscing on the time passed, they talked about a large tree that now no longer exists, but had a swing on it. All of the children and friends have fond memories of playing on that tree and swinging in that swing in the yard.
“When the tree came down, I think a lot of people grieved over that, but we all have a lot of good memories there,” added Kortea.
Family was always important to Younger having cookouts, and ice cream. Millie is a very good cook. If you did not eat anything when you came to Millie’s home she was offended.
Breakfast is Millie’s favorite meal to fix, who religiously fixes bacon, eggs, and toast, except on Sundays which is biscuits and gravy. Younger has fixed meals for hundreds, if not thousands, of people over the years.
Every October the family gets together for a reunion and they have it at Younger’s home because of the memories that so many are fond of, and to make it easier on Millie.
Millie Younger is a member of the Erie Homemakers Club and Erie United Methodist Church for more than 60 years. She also is a member of the Doll Club and Eastern Star.
“She always has done for others, and now the hardest part is relying on others to help her now,”
She was married to Ray for more than 47 years who passed away in 1990. But, Millie now has five generations of the family who were all part of the celebration on Saturday.
It was a happy day for everyone making sure Millie had a happy and memorable 100th birthday.
