Haston celebrates 100 years

By Janice M. Howard / Style Editor for the Southern Standard

Bennie Mae Haston celebrated her 100th birthday Saturday with family and friends during a dinner party in her honor at Mt. Leo Church of Christ. (Will Stewart photo)

Retired educator Bennie Mae Stanley Haston was feted June 15 on the occasion of her 100th birthday as friends and family assembled at the Mt. Leo Church of Christ annex. There were 100 well-wishers present, enjoying the home-cooked noon meal.

The honoree was born June 15, 1902 in Warren County, where she resided until moving with her parents to Spencer to further her education at Burritt College. She also attended Tennessee Tech and David Lipscomb College.

Mrs. Haston taught school in Van Buren and Hamilton counties for 48 years. She was located at Nathan-Bachman School, Signal Mountain, upon retirement in 1970.

She has one daughter, Hope Clark, one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter, Dara Webb, of whom she is so proud.

Joining Mrs. Clark as hostesses for the Sunday gala were Bettye Haston, Polly Woodlee, Joy Black, Lillie Nunley, Blanche Cook and Ruth Barrett.

Mrs. Haston’s great-niece baked and decorated the birthday cake and brought it all the way from Jackson. The rocking chair and handmade heirloom quilt that had belonged to Mrs. Haston’s mother provided a resting place for the guest of honor and served as conversation pieces throughout the afternoon.

Baskets of fern were placed on white columns and topped with metallic gold bows. Visible around the room were gold stars and helium balloons.

The main table was draped in white linen featuring a deep border of delicate cutwork lace. The central arrangement was a large bouquet of yellow roses and white daisies contained in a brass urn. A crystal basket was filled with party nuts.

After the event, Mrs. Haston said she had drawn several conclusions. “It was wonderful! I saw some of my relations I’d never seen before and it was so nice of all them to take time out to come. Since then, I’ve been wondering how my kinfolks might benefit from having known me and all my experiences these 100 years.”