Zelma Draper celebrates 100th

Courtesy Photo Zelma Deaver Draper celebrated her 100th birthday recently surrounded by many friends and family. Here she is pictured with her daughters, left to right, Marilyn Brown of Sarasota, FL, Myra Perley of Atlanta, GA and Lee Elder of Kilgore. Fifty friends and family members helped Zelma Deaver Draper celebrate her 100th birthday on Dec. 18 at the Summit Club in Longview. Mrs. Draper was born n Seymour, on Dec. 18, 1905 in Rockport.

In 2000 she moved from Corpus Christi to Kilgore to live with her daughter and son-in-law Lee and Frank Elder III. Mrs. Draper taught school for many years throughout Texas.

“She sometimes taught in one and two-room school houses,” Elder said. “She was a mentor to many your teachers and preferred teaching the hard to reach student.”

She taught homemaking, science and first and second grades in Mineral, Mesquite and Corpus Christi, among other places. Mrs. Draper attended Columbia University in New York City and graduated from Southwest Texas Teachers College (now Texas State University) in San Marcos. Mrs. Draper is a master genealogist and enjoyed target shooting. “She received many trophies for her performance at a .22 caliber smallbore tournament participant throughout Texas,” Elder said.

She was married for 35 years to Dr. L.M. Draper, a Corpus Christi surgeon. She has three daughters, Lee Elder of Kilgore; Myra Perley of Atlanta, GA; and, Marilyn Brown of Sarasota, FL.

Her grandchildren include Carey Elder of Austin; Bo ELder, San Diego, CA; Melanie Elmer, Tampa, FL; Ann Perley, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; and, Phil Perley of Sierra Madre, CA.

Her great-grandchildren include Nikki Seibert, Wrightsville, NC; Julie Seibert, Raiegh, NC; Megan Perley, Sierra Madre, CA; and, Mitchell Perley, Edinburg, Scotland.

Her niece, Darla Dobson, lives in Rockport. She also has numerous great-great and greatgreat great nieces and nephews.