December 3, 2024joynealkidney

Leora Wilson Celebrates 90th Birthday

Leora with great granddaughters, Deni and Christa Scar

My mother and her sister (Doris and Darlene) held an open house in 1980 for their mother, Leora Goff Wilson, when she turned 90. Some of her great grandchildren were there to celebrate with the woman (born in Guthrie County, December 4, 1890) who had given birth to ten children, raised seven to adulthood, only to lose three during WWII.

Later she’d made a home in Guthrie Center for her own mother for fourteen years, then she lived alone for another two dozen years.

This is probably from the Guthrie Center newspaper:

Leora Wilson Celebrates 90th Birthday
   Sunday afternoon, Nov. 30, was a beautiful warm fall day, setting the scene for the celebration of the 90th birthday of Leora Wilson. The open house took place at the First Christian Church in Guthrie Center. The tea table was decorated with an arrangement of mums in rust, bronze and gold shades and Mrs. Wilson's daughters Darlene Scar and Doris Neal of Dexter presided at the serving.
   Rev. Jerry Palmer gave a birthday blessing and a thank you to all who attended to honor this longtime Guthrian, formerly of Dexter. A table of photos were displayed of every years and the family. The surprise of the day was a gift from the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A wall hanging compiled of quilt blocks sent from each one on paper and then transferred to material, painted then quilted by granddaughter Joy Kidney of West Des Moines. Gifts, cards, and phone calls from family members came from Colorado, California, Washington and Florida.
   Ladies of the church helped in the kitchen to make the day possible and a memorable one. Others helping where granddaughters Gloria Neal and Chris Scar and greatgrandchildren Deni and Christa Scar and Dan Kidney. 
   Leora thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon visiting with 120 guests, family and friends from Earlham, Dexter, Stuart, Casey, Atlantic, Lake City, Guthrie Center, and Omaha, Nebr.
   With Thursday, Dec. 4, the actual 90th birthday for Mrs. Wilson, she was with the Rebekah Lodge mending ladies at the Guthrie County Hospital doing their charity work. A courtesy was extended to Leora after the group completed their mending, and refreshments were served.
   Mrs. Wilson has been mending there every week for 23 years, seldom missing the opportunity to share in the benevolent project sponsored by the Rebekahs.
Each family member designed a quilt block. Aunt Darlene Scar used fabric paint to set each on fabric. I stitched everything together with fabrics that went with Grandma’s couch. Dan Scar now owns the 90th birthday wallhanging.

What a delightful 90th birthday party!

17 comments

  3. Very sweet memory, shared with four generations. It doesn’t get much better than that.

    Reply

  8. The quilted wall hanging was a fabulous gift for Leora. I was surprised at how many years she lived alone after her mother died. Leora must have been as sharp as a tack-and she was able to do so much charity work! 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you, Nancy. It was also the first time she’d ever lived alone! Both daughters invited her to live with them, but she had so many friends and activities in Guthrie Center. Those daughters didn’t want her to learn to drive so she walked nearly everywhere. That’s probably why she was still living in her own little home at age 97! (Both daughters also lived to age 97.)

      Reply

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