KILGOROUND

“I eat anything that comes around,” said ninety seven year old Louise Johnson. “And even at that, I have lost weight lately,” she laughed. “But, it takes more than food to keep me healthy.” Ms. Johnson is the oldest living member of the First Christian Church.

Born in Terrell and raised in Shreveport, Louise married William Bernard “W.B” Johnson. He worked for Mobil Oil (Magnolia) at the time and it was in 1930 that the family moved to the East Texas area.

“We built a home on the Mobil lease behind Huey school,” said Ms. Johnson. “It was a one room one bath house. In 1952, we knew W.B. was going to be transferred on in to Kilgore so we built our home there and have been here ever since.

The couple raised two children. Their son, Forest was born in 1938 and attended first through third grade at Huey School, fourth through eighth grade at Sabine and ninth through twelfth at Kilgore. His sister Caroline attended Huey School and graduated from Sabine.

“When they tore down the old house on the Mobile lease they used that lumber and nails in the new house,” said Forest. “Of course there were new nails and lumber used to make the house bigger, but nothing was wasted from the old house.

“I lived with my sister and her husband so I could go to Kilgore schools while the house was being built. I played football and if I didn't go to Kilgore in the ninth grade I wouldn't be eligible to play for another year.

“I'll never forget we raised chickens for eggs. The chickens were raised in a 20by 20-foot coop. Mom and Dad cleaned the coop out real good and lived in it while dad built the new house.

“Mom believed in disciplining us. I remember one time she was giving me a whippin' and a lady drove up in the yard about the time she was getting through. I turned my head trying not to cry and the woman told mother I made a face at her and I got another whippin'. It's not that I probably didn't deserve the first whipping but a double whipping is kind of hard to forget,” laughed Forest.

W.B. worked for Mobil for 45 years and was still working for them when he passed away in 1967. Ms. Johnson worked for Bealls Department Store until she retired in 1975. She began working for the department store when it was first located in the downtown area of Kilgore.

“I cannot remember a time we didn't attend church,” said Forest. “There was a couple that lived by us on the Mobil lease that would drive us to church. They attended First Christian Church and that's where we went,” said Ms. Johnson.

Her faith has made her a humble woman and it will not be her that will tell you of her travels across the world including China.

“She is the healthiest 97year old I have ever met,” said Rev. Bill Blanks. “It just fascinates me that she is so physically independent. She still cuts her own grass with a push lawn mower and drives herself to church. One day we were all working on repairing a house and she came walking up to inspect our work to see if we were doing a good enough job.”

“She is quiet in nature, loving and kind,” said Forest. But, “active” is the key word used more often to describe this woman — active in church and active in life. I guess getting to eat anything that comes around isn't so bad after all.

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BLOWING OUT CANDLES today are Alice Orange, Tai Duckworth, Laura Ann McDonald, Margaret McElyea, De De Cox, Donna Ann Canterbury, Susan Hooten, Penny Boone, Brandon Ott, Ken Becker, Mattie Coleman, James Henshaw, Shelton Burleson, Brandon Odom.

CELEBRATING A WEDDING anniversary today is Randy and Linda Barton.