Julia Lee Kelley, celebrated the turn of the big 100 with a drive-thu birthday party, over the weekend. “Thank God I allowed myself to make it to 100,” Kelley told CNN.
She has lived to see six generations in her family. She is a mother of five children and grandmother to 30 grandchildren, 88 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
“No way you can pass a century and not celebrate,” said Kelley’s grandmother, Kelley Oakley.
“We did not want too many people too close to them … that was the reason for the drive-through,” said Kelley’s daughter, Catherine Williams.
On Aug. 8, at 3 p.m., the birthday girl was sitting under a tent outside her Franklinton, North Carolina, home while a parade of cars full of family, friends and church members paved the way for her to share the birthday party, according to Oakley.
“They blew the horns. They had their cars decorated. They had balloons out of the window. And my little cousins got the cards for them and put them (in) in a box,” Oakley said.
Williams was shocked at how many people attended the celebration. She estimated that there were at least 25 to 30 cars to pass the matriarch’s milestone.
Although there were limited hugs and kisses, the grandmother told CNN that she was overwhelmed with happiness because her loved ones were running around to make her wish come true. “I just felt like screaming and screaming like scolding,” Kelley said. “I was so happy to see my friends, family and church members.”
At three figures, Kelley is grateful to still have her independence. She stays every Sunday after church, cooks and lights her flowers.
Whatever it takes to live to see your 100th year, Kelley says it all comes down to the grace of God.
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