Not everyday do we have the privilege to visit an individual who has reached the century mark. In fact Tuesday was my first time. Mrs. Nettie Read, a resident of the Riverside Nursing Home, will be 100 years old Friday. A party is being planned for her that night.
Mrs. Read was sitting in her chair, dressed in a bright print dress, with a necklace around her neck and a pleasant smile on her face. I was told that her hearing was not too keen, which I soon found out for myself, but she knew I wanted to take her picture. When I asked her if I could take her picture, she told me "Oh, I have so much trouble with my hair." I assured her that it waS fine, and it was just as neat as could be.
She smiled so sweetly, but when I put the camera in place to get her picture, she would sober up. Not that she didn't want me to take it, but she didn't want to smile for it. She was glad to know her picture was going to be in the Journal.
Her mind is alert, and her speech is plain. She is a very independent person, I was told. When I asked her how old she would be, she looked at me so surprised, and asked "Why, don't you know? That's why everyone is making such a fuss. I'm going to be 100 years old!" She added, "You know, not many people get to be this age."
Mrs. Read was born in Mercer County, Pa., on a farm. Her maiden name was McCartney. She has been in Oklahoma about 40 years. There were 10 children in the family and she named them each by name. She is the only living one now. She married Bert Read when she was 27 years old. Until she and her brothers and sisters married, they had never been away from the farm where they were born.
Read died in 1945. She has one daughter, Mrs. Iva Phillips of Sapulpa.
When I started to leave, she stood up and told me that she wanted to walk me to the door, which was about 10 feet. She told me that "they (meaning nurses) don't want me to do any walking. Guess they think I'll fall and break a leg."
* * * A QMS Deezyne * * *