A Chickasaw woman reached a milestone few people see, turning 100 years old on National Grandparents Day.
Mildred Foster hit the three-digit mark on Sept. 9, the same day set aside each year to honor grandparents. Her family held the celebration a day earlier, but the official birthday landed squarely on the holiday.
Four generations
Foster is the head of a family that now spans four generations. She raised two children, and the family has since grown to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Centenarians remain a small share of the population, and reaching 100 in the same community where family can gather for the occasion is rarer still. For the Foster family, the timing gave the day a double meaning: a birthday party and a Grandparents Day observance rolled into one.
A holiday with local resonance
National Grandparents Day falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day each September. It was established as a national observance to recognize the role grandparents play in families and to encourage younger generations to spend time with them.
In communities like Chickasaw, where families often stay within a few miles of one another across generations, the day tends to be marked with visits and gatherings rather than formal events.