The Rutland Nursing Home’s Adult Day-Care Center at Brooklyn’s Kingsbrook Medical Center held a 100th birthday party for Mrs. Temporah Jones Williams last week.
Center staff, friends and medical specialists showed up to honor Ms. Williams on her incredible day that included a DJ, refreshments, dancing and a number of festivities. Dressed in a lovely purple two-piece outfit, Ms. Williams was radiant as she was surrounded by the many caregivers who love and adore her.
The Rutland Center, which caters to a cultural cross-section of the community, enables physically challenged adults and frail elderly to spend the day with friends at the fecilitiy and their evenings at home. Caregivers find the Center a tremendous asset in providing respite for the elderly as they tend to their busy schedules. Seniors are eligible for the program if they do not require a full-time nursing home but are in need of supportive healthcare to help them maintain independent lifestyles in the community.
Mrs. Temporah Jones Williams, also known as “Tempie” was born at home at the family farm in Millen (Jenkins County) Georgia on June 4th, 1914. Her father was a farmer whose crop included cotton, corn and vegetables and her mother cooked for the Jones family until their death. She was one of seven sisters and two brothers and still maintains contact with “her aunt’s daughter” a first cousin who still resides in Georgia. She attended grade school in Millen until she moved in with her grandmother and aunt to accommodte her high school education in Atlanta, Georgia about 193 miles away.
She moved back home after high school and became a schoolteacher for Grades 1-6 and also worked on the family farm as a cotton picker.
Mrs. Williams married at age 28 to James Marshall Williams who she said was “five years older than her”. They moved to Savannah, Georgia, his home town, and gave birth to their son, John Elbert in 1943. She moved to Brooklyn about 60 years ago and currently resides in Crown Heights.
Mrs. Williams joined the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center–Rutland Adult Day Care Center upon its establishment in 1990 at age 76 and has been an active participant since then.
With pride she stated: “I opened this place and I’m still here” and, pointing to her seat, adds: “This is my spot!”
She remains active at Brown Memorial Baptist Church and was an avid bowler up until recently with numerous awards.for her feats.her. She loves vanilla ice cream, her favorite color is purple, and can still ance a storm. Her favorite hymn is “I come to the garden alone.”
She is known as a very optimistic, generous individual, and is a “ball of fire”, energetic and dynamic, celebrating her 100th birthday.
