Blessed for 101

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Mildred Gantt, who lives near Halso Mill, turned 101 years young. She was surrounded by family and friends who gathered to help her celebrate the momentous occasion. Mildred was born in Gantt near Andalusia on Oct. 20, 1919 to John Thomas Gantt and Julia Crittenden. She was the one of 17 children and growing up she remembered going to school and helping with chores. She and her family moved to Baker, Fla., thereafter Mildred went to Niagara Falls and then to Rochester, N.Y. in 1972. She moved to Butler County in 1990 and has lived here since. For most of her working career she worked as a civilian doing housecleaning on an army base. She has two sons, George and John Henry, nine grandchildren, and 33 great grandchildren. She currently attends St. Francis Missionary Baptist Church. A woman of grace, humbleness and spirit, Mildred never met someone she couldn’t get along with. “God gave us knowledge and he leads us where we need to go,” she said. She enjoys cleaning house and getting out in her yard and of course birthday cake and southern cooking. (Bruce Branum | The Standard)