By Staff
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – Leo Elliott, left, a classmate of Fleeta Marzette's late sons, greets her on her birthday Monday during a party at Meridian Community Life Center. Looking on, from left, are the Rev. Bill Harper, Mayor John Robert Smith and Dannie M. Rowe, a fellow church member of Marzette's. Photo by Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Aug. 20, 2002
The most important thing Fleeta Marzette has learned in a century is how to treat people.
She and her late husband, Ernest Marzette, had five children, of which only one survives, a daughter, age 81, who lives in Chicago.
Marzette has one granddaughter and three great-grandsons.
On Monday, several friends, family and fellow residents and staff members of the community living center celebrated Marzette's 100th birthday with a party.
Mayor John Robert Smith signed a proclamation and presented it to Marzette proclaiming Aug. 19 "Mrs. Fleeta Marzette Day" in Meridian.
Smith cited Marzette's 16 years of service working in the nursery at St. Paul United Methodist Church and her years of leadership in the Women's Missionary Christian Service.
One of Marzette's cousins, Lynne Harris came to the party from Columbus.
According to another cousin of Marzette's, Mamie Yearell of Meridian, Marzette was living alone until she had a fall in October of last year. But she still remains active. She crochets and helps take care of cats that have been adopted by the community living center residents.
Yearell helped organize the birthday party along with longtime family friend, the Rev. Bill Harper of Meridian.