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photo by Hannah Reel
Susie Jackson, right, talks about her longevity while celebrating her 108th birthday with friends and family at the Sandbar in Vidalia Saturday afternoon. Below, Jackson’s birthday cake for her 108th Birthday Celebration at the Sandbar in Vidalia reads “God Bless Susie Scott Jackson on her 108th Birthday.”
Ferriday resident celebrates 108th birthday
Published Monday, August 24, 2009
VIDALIA — In 1901, Susie Jackson was born into this world, a baby not unlike many others.
On Saturday, nearly 108 years after she was born, Jackson gathered with five generations of her descendents at the Sandbar restaurant to celebrate another year of her life, a lifespan matched by very few.
Jackson’s official birthday is Sept. 4, but the party started Saturday when members of the life-long Ferriday resident’s family came from across the country, including but not limited to locals such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Illinois and Texas.
Photo by Hannah Reel
Jackson’s birthday cake for her 108th Birthday Celebration at the Sandbar in Vidalia reads “God Bless Susie Scott Jackson on her 108th Birthday.”
Jackson admits that these days she doesn’t do much, but she said she still loves to attend church at New Morning Star Baptist Church.
Her lifelong goal, she said, has been to live a solid Christian life.
“I have always tried to do good to everybody,” she said.
And making 108 feels pretty good, Jackson said.
“I am glad to have done it,” she said. “I have seen them raise up the children, the grandchildren, the great-grandchildren and the great-great grandchildren.”
Though she’s advanced in age by anybody’s standards, Jackson is still able to wash up herself, make her own bed and take her own medicine, Jackson’s daughter Joy Newbill said.
“I’ve never had to hire a home health agency,” Newbill said.
When she was younger, Jackson worked in the fields, doing everything from picking cotton to pulling stumps, Newbill said.
“She did a lot of hard work in her time,” Newbill said.
At her party Saturday, Jackson was presented with a proclamation from the Ferriday mayor and board of aldermen, and later in the afternoon an aide from Congressman Rodney Alexander’s office presented her with a copy of a proclamation that was read into the minutes of the Congressional record.
The Ferriday proclamation noted that Jackson was baptized in 1909, and her great-niece Carol Brown said that was only fitting.
“She is very spiritual,” Brown said. “You couldn’t talk about her life and not include it.”
Jackson and her late husband, Joe Jackson Jr., had five children, 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great grandchildren and — as of now — two great-great-great grandchildren.
Seeing her great-great-great grandchildren is an amazing thing, Jackson said.
“It makes me happy to see that baby,” she said.
As her mother sets out on another year of life, Newbill said every day with her is a blessing.
“It makes me feel very good the Lord has blessed us for all these years,” she said.
Comments
Posted by consider_reason (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 2:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What amazing history lies within this woman. I hope some family members have recorded some of her stories.
She is a treasure.
Congratulations Ms. Suzie! May you have many more
Posted by jrn59 (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 6:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a lovely lady! Thanks Hersal and ND for giving us such a wonderful story to begin our week.
Congratulations Ms. Susie and may the Lord bless you with many more!
Posted by gottabehappy (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now THIS is someone I would love to sit and chat with.
The stories she must have. Amazing. Happy Birthday!
Posted by ginaboyte (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
happy 108th birthday mrs. jackson
Posted by missvidla (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hi Dea Happy Birthday What a wonderful things it is to be blessed like that. May God continue to bless you.
Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mrs. Jackson you are an inspiration.
I agree with (consider_reason) about getting stories. I got into genealogy too late and now I wish I had listen to all the stories my elder family had told.
If any of Mrs. Jackson's family is reading these comments please remember you may not be interested now, but someday you will wonder about your heritage. So take notes on all the stories this wonderful lady tells. Also learn from her, I'm sure she is a very good example of how to live a good life.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mrs. Jackson!!!
Posted by trulyblessed (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
108th birhday. God has truly blessed Ms. Suzie. Happy birthday dear lady. I know she has so many wonderful stories to tell.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Happy Birthday Mrs. Jackson. You are truely an inspiration for us all!
Posted by sideline (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You are truly blessed. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Posted by robertson (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I GREW UP IN FERRIDAY WITH MRS SUSIE AT CHURCH.SHE TRULEY IS A BLESSING FROM GOD.I NO LONGER LIVE IN FERRIDAY BUT I TRULY REMEMBER MRS SUSIE.GOD BLESS YOU MRS SUSIE.
Posted by deedee (anonymous) on August 24, 2009 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ms. Susie, we love you. May God continue to bless you. Happy 108th birthday.
Posted by ijohnson (anonymous) on August 25, 2009 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ms. Susie!!!!! This is truly a blessing and an honor. I'm sure she has many stories to tell . . . good and bad, that needs to captured and documented in some form, i.e., by pen and paper, audio recording, or video.
In regards to longevity, I would like to know the types of foods she ate growing up, in adulthood, and in her senior years? Did her choice of foods change over the years or did they remain the same? Has she had any major health issues, etc.? I know "being good to people and treating folks right" is a common thread I hear when speaking to seniors who have been blessed with a long life.
I really think we need to observe and study our elders to see if there are common threads anyone can adopt to improve the quality of their life and their health and fitness.
The United States does not have many centenarians. I think we can learn a lot from them to make our lives and our children's lives better.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on August 26, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a pretty lady!!! Happy 108th!
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