100th Birthday

Dear SE Missourian,

I am very thrilled to announce that my great grandmother, Zella McManus (from Hunter, MO), celebrated her 100th birthday today, April 2nd, 2013. She is an AMAZING woman! Attached is a beautiful 5 generation picture that we took at her celebration Open House this afternoon.

In the picture L to R is: (Front Row): Baylee Laws, Taylor Laws, Trinity Laws, Alexander Hayes

(Back Row): Eddie Laws, Braxton Laws, Misti Laws, My Granny (in the center), my mother--Glenda Heiden (of Jackson), My Grandmother, Ava Reynolds (Hunter, MO), Shawn & Jaime Hayes (my sister) and Austin Maloney

Below is also a write-up that was in the Poplar Bluff newspaper last Sunday. (This is WONDERFUL news, especially to our family!) :-)

Thanks,

Misti (Heiden) Laws

Jackson, MO

Zella McManus was born April 2, 1913, in Maynard, Arkansas, to Lula Ann and William W. Reid. She married Samuel E. McManus in October 1932, and had five children, Ava (Reynolds), Edna (Hampton), Ronnie McManus, Bob McManus and Bonnie Carol (Swigert). She and Sam were married 54 years until his death in 1986.

Zella travelled around a lot during her life and has lived in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, and Wyoming doing a variety of jobs such as factory work, farming, postmaster, and even cut and skidded timber with her husband. She served as an election judge in Hunter for many, many years. She was always an avid gardner and had a huge garden and canned vegetables and fruit during the growing season until she just wasn't able to do it any longer in her late 80's. She still likes to help make jams and jellies.

Zella is very well known and highly respected in her small town and the surrounding area for her willingness to help those in need, her nurturing spirit and strong family values. She has never met a stranger! You can always expect to be welcomed and fed if you come to her house - she thinks you have to eat if you visit!

She has 179 direct descendants. There are a lot of "five generations pictures" because every new great-great grandchild has to have his or her photo taken with Granny as soon as possible after coming home from the hospital.

She doesn't make differences in those children and grandchildren who marry into the family - they are hers as much as the ones born into the family. She has many more people, both related and unrelated, who fondly call her "Granny" because she treats them all like they belong to her.

Cards of congratulations were welcome, but gifts were not necessary. Being 100 years old, she is no longer able to go, go, go as she has done all her life, so many visitors stopped by the Open House just to say Hi and have some birthday cake and ice cream with her. At last count she had 97 visitors and 7 phone calls to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She loved it all!!!