 |  | ||||
|
Friday, April 5, 2002 102-year-old celebrates birthday, shares lifeBy MIMI PACIFICO | News-Journal Correspondent DAYTONA BEACH — It is hard to imagine being born in 1900. The world has changed so much since then. Some of that change is personalized in the life of Inez Branan, a resident of Florida Lutheran Retirement Community in DeLand who celebrated her 102nd birthday on March 29. Born on a farm near Rutledge, Ga., the family "raised everything we needed," she remembered. After graduating from high school and completing a business course, she went to work in nearby Atlanta for Gulf Refining Company. She lived in a YMCA boarding house, which looked to her like a mansion. One day, as she was sitting on the front porch, a young man she had known since she started grade school, Hubert Branan, casually approached her and asked, "Reckon we could live on $150 month?" "He never was a very romantic sort," she said, but they enjoyed more than 67 years together as man and wife. It was love at first sight, he said. Boys didn't interest girls at that age, she said. Living in Lithia Springs, Ga., during their married life, the Branans did a lot to make their community a better place to live. They were part of a group that went door to door getting residents to sign up to receive electricity to be provided by the Rural Electric Association (REA). The year was 1933 -- the same year the Branans got indoor plumbing. While working as an express messenger on the local railroad, Hubert served on the board of directors for the REA. Inez owned and operated a sundries store, a forerunner of the modern drug store. Branan's store sold over-the-counter remedies and had a soda fountain. Soon after Hubert died in 1992, Inez moved to DeLand to be near her daughter. Applying for a Florida driver's license, she was told her eyes were not good enough. "What do you mean? There's people out there driving with only one eye. I can see better than they can," she told them. Needless to say, she got her license. Because the area was entirely unfamiliar to her and navigating was difficult, Inez decided at 97 she really didn't want to drive any longer. According to her only daughter, Evangeline Mitchell, DeLand, Branan was the thriftiest person she ever knew. When her husband's shirt collars frayed, she took them off, reversed them and they were as good as new. In addition, she was a wonderful cook. Being a good neighbor, she carried food to neighbors who were not as well fed. "We were rich and didn't even know it," said Mitchell, "because mother saw everyone as equal." She started Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible School in rural churches around Lithia Springs, providing transportation to the church on Sunday mornings. That was the way of life in America 50 years ago. Now, living at a retirement community, Branan uses a walker and admits her vision and hearing are not as good as they once were, but she spends her days visiting neighbors, bringing them a word of cheer. Her positive attitude and warm smile open many doors. "Mother is never going to give up helping people," Mitchell said. The advice she passes on is simple: "Stay out of debt. Don't live beyond your means." |
Copyright © 2009 NIE WORLD (www.nieworld.com). All content copyrighted and may not be republished without permission. The News-Journal has no control over and is not responsible for content on other Web sites. Privacy Policy. |