LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Michigan woman is celebrating her 110th birthday Saturday, a milestone so rare it places her among a group known as supercentenarians.
Family, friends and staff at Fountain Bleu Health and Rehabilitation Center in Livonia gathered to celebrate Lois McGarvey, who was born in Niles in 1916. That same year, the United States had not yet entered World War I, television did not exist and the Model T was rolling off factory lines.
When McGarvey was born, Woodrow Wilson was president. She has since lived through two world wars, two pandemics and more history than most can imagine.
Her daughter, Kathleen McGarvey Perkins, said the family was not certain this day would come.
"We didn't know if she'd make this far or not, but we're excited for her and we're excited to celebrate her special day," McGarvey Perkins said.
Talea Green, activities director at Fountain Bleu Health and Rehabilitation Center, said the occasion is one the facility does not take lightly.
"We actually don't have many residents that have been 100, let alone 110. So it's just a great honor to have her here in our facility to appreciate her and show her that she is appreciated," Green said.
McGarvey's son, Kenneth McGarvey, believes longevity may run in the family.
"My great grandfather, mom's grandfather lived to be 100. He had a daughter, my great aunt, who lived to be 102, so it's in the genes," Kenneth McGarvey said.
For her children, the birthday is about more than a number. It is about honoring the woman behind it. Her daughter Marilyn Kistler remembered her mother's outlook on life.
"I just remember mom always being positive about everything, and that was intentional," Kistler said.
McGarvey was married for 65 years. She had four children of her own and also fostered children.
"She loved children and she just loved working with children," McGarvey Perkins said.
Her family also remembers her sense of fun.
"I remember seeing her in the swimming pool one time when she was 99 and she was going down the water slide," Kenneth McGarvey said.
While McGarvey may not be able to share her own memories verbally, her family says she communicates through a smile or a look. Her birthday celebration began earlier this month with a family reunion.
Her children say her secret to a long life comes down to something she passed down through generations.
"Mom's faith, which she got from her parents and her grandparents and has given to us — has been a fantastic thing," Kenneth McGarvey said.
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