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ArkLaTex Centenarians Break World RecordsReported by: Jenna Zibton
Thursday, Nov 5, 2009 @10:03pm CST
Maggie Mae Thornton Renfro spends her days singing. The 114 year old lived by herself until she was 106 years old, then adopted daughter Mattie Ellis moved in, helping with day to day chores like cooking breakfast.
"Grits, sausage and coffee every morning, that's what she likes, every morning" Ellis says.The centenarian is in relatively good health, having only three minor surgeries in her entire life and taking just five medicines a day. She can still do things like feed herself, amazing family members and the Guinness Book of World Records.
"I never would have thought she would be breaking records, but she is" says Ellis with a smile.
"We knew going into this that Maggie held the distiction of being the 4th oldest person in the nation, and the 7th oldest person in the world. And just recently we learned that she is the oldest African American nation and her three sisters they are the oldest African American siblings in the world" says Minden Board of Cultural Crossroads chair Chris Broussard.Those siblings are 103 year old Rosie Lee Thornton Warren and 107 year old Carrie Lee Thornton Miller. Add Renfro's 114 years and you have 324 years of history.
Broussard has been documenting the sisters' lives. "We spent the entire day with them and realized how strong their family unit was, and how strong their faith is, and it was real obvious at the end of the day that their longevity is real due to their strong family and faith" she says.
Renfro agrees she says "I'm living for my god. I'm living because God loves me and I love him and I love everybody and I want everybody to love me. The older I get, the more I know about God.
Ellis says Renfro loved to fish, quilt and was quite a prankster "She loved to sneak up on you and scare you. She's real funny, she's real funny. her nieces, they can get her going."
She worked as a cook and traveled to more places than she can remember for her job.
The Thornton sisters' lives will be celebrated on Sunday, November 8th at 2 p.m. at the Minden Civic Center. The Guiness Book of World Records will be presenting them with at least one award. The event wraps up the "Festival of Memories" event, remembering the Great Depression.
Schools have learned about their lives too. The sister's stories have been told throughout classrooms in northwest Louisiana, inspiring younger generations to learn from their grandparents.
For more information visit www.artsinminden.blogspot.com
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