Centenarian Celebration: Upper Burrell woman's motto are words to live by
“Eat Right. Think Right. Do Right. Live Right.”
That’s been Marion Yates’ motto for 100 years.
The Upper Burrell resident turned 100 Thursday.
A birthday celebration of her 10 decades of life was held Saturday at United Presbyterian Church of New Kensington. It’s the church she has belonged to (including the former Westminster Church) since 1950.
“Those are the words she has always lived by,” said her son Ernie, 69, of Catawissa, Columbia County. “This is quite a milestone. She knows it’s her birthday. We were all together on her actual birthday (Thursday), and she said, ‘Let’s do this again next year.’ ”
As she was wheeled into the church hall, Marion smiled at the 71 guests as they approached to greet her. People came from Colorado, California, Maryland and Georgia.
Yates, who is deaf, communicates via messages on a white board.
She lost her hearing from an infection two and a half years ago. She still puts her hearing aids in every day, her son, Cecil said.
She also is blind in one eye.
Family members and friends wrote “Happy Birthday”; “She made your birthday cake for today”; “You can have some of my Mountain Dew”; “Singing Happy Birthday”; and other warm sentiments.
She replied to all of them.
Asked, “What do you think about this party?” she said, “Oh my, it’s wonderful,” as she sipped Mountain Dew.
“It is so exciting to see family and friends gathered to celebrate my birthday. I have fine family and friends. This is a wonderful church to celebrate a wonderful birthday celebration like this.”
Pastor Wendy Keys said the congregation misses Marion because she hasn’t been to church because of the pandemic and health issues.
“When she came to church, she always sat up front,” Keys said. “She always wanted to do her part. She served on several committees, one which was the property committee. And when she was on it — let me tell you — the property was perfect.”
Marion Morrow grew up on a farm in the New Kensington area. She told her children her family got electricity when she was 10. She was so happy because she said she hated cleaning the globes of the oil lamps. She lived through World War II and the Depression.
She married Cecil H. Yates, who became New Ken’s police chief.
They had three sons and a daughter. Now she also has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Her husband died in 1987 after 45 years of marriage.
“It wasn’t easy for my mother after my dad died,” her youngest son, Cecil , 65, of Lower Burrell said. “My mother is a tough woman. She was happy about this party. We are blessed to have her. She is one of a kind.”
Yes, she is, agreed her grandson, Ryan Yates, 39, of Saxonburg. He recalled spending many days with his grandparents. One time he told his grandmother his dad said it was OK for the young boy to cut his grandmother’s grass. He was 7 — and the yard was so big it needed to be cut by a riding lawn mower.
“I lied about my dad saying I could ride the mower,” Ryan Yates said. “I got in trouble, but grandma protected me. She and I supported each other. She taught me a lot. She has lived an amazing life. There is a lot of love in this room for her.”
Being able to celebrate his mother’s birthday with so many family members and friends is special, said her son, Ralph, 74, of Conyers, Ga. He, like his three siblings, said his mother has always lived up to her motto. He believes that’s why she has lived to be 100.
“Her famous saying is spot on,” Ralph said. “She truly believes those words when she says them. We can all learn from her.”
Marion received written proclamations from the Senate of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. They were displayed on a table with flowers, gifts, cookies and a multi-tiered birthday cake with the words “Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma.” Balloons floated in the air.
Her corsage had two white roses, baby’s breath and a light blue bow.
There were miniature boxes of M&Ms labeled “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARION! 100 YEARS LOVED.”
Marion Yates has always had a lot of spirit, said her daughter, Kathy (Yates) Forrest, 77, of Gaithersburg, Md.
“She is resilient. She is deaf and blind in one eye, but hasn’t let that hold her back. She enjoys life every day. She has a really good philosophy on life.”
Yes she has: “Eat Right. Think Right. Do Right. Live Right.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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