Pine Belt woman commemorates 101st birthday Sunday

TAYLORSVILLE, Miss. (WDAM) - What the heck, live long enough and you get your own day to celebrate.

Which is exactly what four generations of family and friends did with Bernice Straughn, who turned 101 years old Sunday.

Gobs of grandkids and family members celebrated the Straughn family matriarch at the Old Palestine Baptist Church.

Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee had declared Sunday Bernice Straughn Day and those in attendance at the birthday celebration got a chance to reminisce about the qualities they loved most about the woman.

Straughn offered up a few pearls of the advice she has passed out over the generations.

“‘Whenever you youngsters get old enough to get married, be honest and true to your mate, and God will let you live a long time,”' Straughn said. “My husband was in glory, now.”

Donnus Straughn, Bernice’s son, said his mother tried to pass along the wisdom gained from a long life, including a simple message that would impact lives across the years: Always be kind.

“She was always instilling in us what to do next, always stay on the right path, continue to grow and develop as a person,” Donnus Straughn said.

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