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Announcements: CEDAR KEY LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE
May 1st, 2013

Announcements: Multi-Family Yard Sale
May 1st, 2013

School News: CEDAR KEY SCHOOL HOSTS 24th ISLAND CITY YOUNG AUTHORS’ CONFERENCE
May 1st, 2013

Announcements: LOST DOG
April 30th, 2013

Law Enforcement News: Levy County Arrest Report 4/29/2013
April 30th, 2013

School News: Shark News 4/30
April 30th, 2013

News: CEDAR KEY WATER AND SEWER BOARD RUN-OFF
April 29th, 2013

Arts and Entertainment: Sign Up Soon for the Cedar Key Art Center Children and Teen Art Program
April 29th, 2013

News: Maria Thompson, in Long Term Care Near Fanning Springs, Welcomes Visits
April 28th, 2013

City News: CEDAR KEY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT: INPUT FROM RUN OFF CANDIDATES
April 27th, 2013

Lions` Club News: Joint Cedar Key Eagles and Lions Project supports Levy County EMS
April 27th, 2013

Conservation: Fish of the Week: Permit
April 27th, 2013

News: World Travelers - From Antarctica to Cedar Key
April 26th, 2013

News: FARAWAY INN AWARDED TRIPADVISOR GREENLEADERS™ STATUS
April 26th, 2013

Lions` Club News: Lions Elect Officers, Welcome New Members, Hear About Haven Hospice and Enjoy Hot Dogs
April 26th, 2013

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Your Birthday Wish – Granted

Your Birthday Wish – Granted

Ada Lang

If you were 101 years old and could go anywhere to celebrate your birthday, what would be your No. 1 request? Well, in the case of Elizabeth Carroll Cheetham, of St. Augustine, her request was Cedar Key and her family made it happen. The weekend before Thanksgiving, her two sons and extended family pulled into their vacation rental overlooking the back bayou and started celebrating until late Sunday afternoon.

Elizabeth was born 101 years ago in Baltimore, but was raised in Detroit, with her sister Peg. When she was a a Senior in high school, she ran into a male friend who was riding in a car with another fellow and they offered her a ride home. Well, the older fellow took a detour by his own home where he promptly introduced her to his mother as, "My new girlfriend." This cheeky fellow was Gordon "Rex" Cheetham. They married and went on to have two sons - Tom and Jack. When Rex retired, they moved to Florida. When she was in her 80s, after he died, she bought herself a condo in St. Augustine.

Her granddaughter, Kate, says that, her grandmother "Didn`t think that anyone would give a 30 year mortgage to a woman in her mid-80s but they did!" Elizabeth really enjoys living at home alone. She uses a cane and only gave up driving about six months ago - laughing she said, "my drivers license doesn`t expire for about four more years!" Her sense of humor is still working well.

Around 1950 the entire family visited Cedar Key for the first time, without reservations, and could not find a place to stay. Someone told them about that little place over the water - The Honeymoon Cottage. But they only stayed in it one night because Elizabeth says that it swayed in the wind all night long. And, you had to walk out to it on a two-board wide catwalk with a wire "handrail." They found better lodging for the rest of their stay and visited another dozen times, or so.

She says that one good thing about being 101 is that "I get up when I want and I take lots of naps...and enjoys a good steak." Sounds like good advice for all of us.

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