80 and Over Club Hickory County 1980

The 27^th annual "80 & Over" event was held at Wheatland Baptist Church Sunday afternoon, Sept. 7, with some 140 people in attendance.

There were 11 people who were 90 or more years and one who was 100 last May 19, Mrs. May Johnson, of Humansville, accompanied by her daughter, Ruth. Those 90 or over were: Earl Sands 90, Lockwood, Mae Whelchel 92, Ada Gates 93, Bertha Young 92, Addie Dietz 91, Hugh Owsley 91, Lillie Miller 97, Lena Foltz 90, Carrie Mabry 90, Sadie E. Beach 91, Pat Chancellor 94. This is the largest number of 90's we have ever had.

There were thirty-one 80's: L. O. and Lulu Burton, Margaret Lindstrom, Anthus Wright, Lesta Zehr, Audra Ramsey, Homer Robertson, Emma Morton Sedona, Ariz., Tommy and Eathel Moore, Pearl Sherman, Wiley Baker, Curtis and Athal Ihrig, Walnut Grove, J. L. Wright, Dosha Donovan, Harry Hutton, Stella Morton, Grace Jordan, Retta McKinzie, Santford Breshears, Ruby Glanville, Lillie Downs, Harrisonville, Verdie Little, Roy L. and Roxie Rush, Bolivar, Emma Reno, Arthur Breshears, Beulah Byrum, Ella Harvey, Springfield, Delia Fields.

J. T. Wright served as MC again this year. The invocation was given by Pat Chancellor, 94, the congregation sang "What a Friend", Mrs. Bertha Young, 92, read "When Grandma Churned," Mrs. Addie Dietz, 91, gave "Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight" from memory (10 verses-12 lines to the verse); Mrs. Ada Gates, 93, gave a long reading from memory "Peter and Frisbee," Mrs. Lillie Miller, 97, gave a reading; she had to use her reading glass but she was happy to be on the program; Joe Yates thought he was cheating a bit since he was not quite 80, but he made a good talk and related two entertaining jokes; Mrs. Dosha Donovan gave a song and reading from an old old song book used by her mother, Retta Graves.

Ruby Glanville gave the Necrology list this year which consisted of Ethel (Crates) Johnston 97, Grover Scotten 94, Effie (Thomas) Cox 93, Ina (Allen) Davison 92, Fred Tillery, Minnie (Mitchell) Pack 91, Emma (Darby) Matthews 89, Nellie (Jenkins) Matthews 88, Arthur H. Ramsey 86, Douglas Bushnell 82, Goldie (Drennon) Rose 78, Buena (Blackwell) Smith 78, Nova (Snyder) Brown 74, Ila (Hudson) Raymond 72, Arthur Ansley almost 70, Sada (Belknap) Edde 81. She gave a nice closing tribute and Christian advice.

Gifts were distributed: Kleenex, boxed of cards, tooth brushes, special gifts to the elderly. Everybody was to receive one of the above gifts. There were handkerchiefs for the 80 and 90 men, but we missed them. They will get them.

So many were so happy to see old friends and meet new acquaintances. So many helped to care for the different areas of the event. This is the only event of this kind we know of in the nation. It gives pleasure to so many people.

We did not need to take an offering this year as enough donations were given to take care of the expense.