Departments



Articles

Less

Law Enforcement News: Levy County Arrest Report 5/13/2013
May 15th, 2013

Fishing News: May Fishing Report
May 14th, 2013

School News: Shark News 5/13
May 13th, 2013

Announcements: MEMORIAL DAY ICE CREAM SOCIAL
May 13th, 2013

Conservation: Fish of the Week: Black Drum
May 11th, 2013

City News: CKWSD May 13, 2013 Meeting Agenda
May 10th, 2013

Law Enforcement News: Levy County Arrest Report 5/06/2013
May 9th, 2013

School News: Shark News 5/8
May 9th, 2013

City News: ARBOR DAY IN CEDAR KEY! YOU ARE PROBABLY BREATHING BETTER ALREADY
May 7th, 2013

News: CEDAR KEY SCHOOL CELEBRATES ARBOR DAY
May 5th, 2013

Conservation: Fish of the Week: Gray Snapper
May 4th, 2013

News: CEDAR KEY WATER AND SEWER BOARD RUN-OFF
May 3rd, 2013

News: FIREWORKS FUND SETS JUNE 1 DEADLINE
May 2nd, 2013

News: Pirates to get Hot, Hot, Hot!
May 2nd, 2013

News: National Tourism and Travel Week-May 4-12, 2013
May 2nd, 2013

More

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.

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com