It is not every day the City of Russellville gets to celebrate a 100th birthday, so Russellville Health Care went all out to celebrate 100 years for Eva Kirkley.

Family members packed Russellville Health Care, and tears flowed as Kirkley thanked her sister, Marie Bragwell, and nieces, nephews and extended family for their attendance and involvement in her life.

Cards were passed out, and those in attendance enjoyed birthday cake and snacks as they celebrated Kirkley’s 100 years of life. Kirkley wore a tiara and sash that read “100 & Fabulous,” and the room was decorated with newspaper clippings and historic events Kirkley had witnessed in her 100 years.

In addition to family and residents of Russellville Health Care, the party had a special guest: Russellville Mayor David Grissom attended to present Kirkley with a mayoral proclamation.

“Now therefore I, David R. Grissom, mayor of the City of Russellville, Alabama, proclaim Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, as ‘Eva Rebecca Hester Kirkley Day’ in the City of Russellville, Alabama, in celebration of her 100th birthday,” Grissom said as he presented Kirkley with a framed copy of the mayoral proclamation.

Kirkley, the sixth of nine children of Walter Alexander and Jessie Florence Hooper Hester, spent the majority of her 100 years living near her ancestral home in the Belgreen community.

Kirkley was married to Clayton Kirkley, who passed away in 1983. After her husband’s death, Kirkley became an elementary school teacher with the Foster Grandparent Program at Belgreen High School for 22 years.