Fern celebrates 75th birthday

Lillian LaFern Arterburn celebrates her 75th birthday Lillian LaFern Mitchell Arterburn celebrates her 75th Gladewater Oil Boom Baby Birthday Jubilee Sunday, August 14, 2005 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will be held at The Bread Pudding Cafe at The Historic Bumpus House off of Highway 80 & Center Street in Gladewater, TX.

She was named Lillian by her maternal great-great grandmother, Lucinda Crim of Kilgore, but is called LaFern because she couldn’t clearly say “Lillian” until she was half-grown,” she says!

Fern was born August 13, 1930, on Broadway Street, in Gladewater; graduated from Gladewater High School in 1948, but has lived a great part of her life in south Upshur County where she now lives on land she inherited from her parents, Bill and Emma Mitchell.

Paternal great-great grandparents Thomas H. and Lucinda Mitchell came to Upshur County on or about 1850 from Social Circle, Georgia, where the family plantation is still run today by Mitchell descendants.

The election process of voter precinct 14, Upshur County, has been of primary interest since 1986, and she has served as democratic election judge for the past ten years or more. She is a member of the Upshur County Democratic League of Voters.

An important volunteer program is the Arthritis Aquatic Exercise Program at East Texas Treatment Center, Kilgore, where she has taught a class for the past 12 years - having been a participant since 1985.

Come share in the telling of tall tales and in the recalling of special events and photos from the past three quarters of a century. You may see people whom you haven’t seen in a long time.

The Bread Pudding Cafe will serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. if you wish to have lunch (B.Y.O.L. -food is good and prices are reasonable) before attending the party in adjacent rooms. Dinner is not served on Sunday evenings.

If you have momentos and /or photos you wish to share put your name on them and bring them with you for all to enjoy. Let’s have a good time at this celebration!!!

Hosting this event will be Evelyn Camp and Chef Pam Glenn. No Doorprizes! No Gifts! Casual “dress-up”!