Fancy hats, flowers, parasols and a cake shaped like a doll were the order of the day as staff and residents of Memorial Manor dressed up for a festive, old fashioned tea party at Memorial Manor Friday, Sept. 27,  to help Lillian Durham celebrate her 101st birthday.
Miss Lillian, a life-long resident of Whigham, has been living at the Manor since February, 2012, after she fell and suffered a broken pelvis.
Prior to that she was an active woman who mowed her own yard on a riding mower well into her 90s after her husband, Braxton Durham died in 1986.
Growing up on a farm before the days of tractors and mechanized farm equipment, Miss Lillian has always known how to put in a good day’s work. She helped in the tobacco field and helped turn peanuts, all by hand. She recalls taking the corn to town by horse and buggy, where it was ground at the mill.
Her husband was also a farmer and many of their years together were without modern conveniences as well.
There was no electricity in the home until 1937 and she loved playing an old record player that you had to crank by hand.
She has a daughter, Hilda Weeks, a son Bill Durham; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
For seven years she was in charge of a church day care center in Quincy, Fla.
The party was organized by Carolyn Himes and Beverly Thompson, in conjunction with Karrell Bush, activities director at the Manor. Himes and Thompson, members of Fellowship Baptist Church, make it their mission to take parties and entertainment to the area nursing homes on a rotating basis.
Lillian Durham was joined by her family members and a long-time family friend, Ellie Coutant, who traveled from Winter Haven, Fla. to help her celebrate.