Bamberg celebrates 100 years in Kilgore

After a covered wagon ride to the Tyler Fair, one Kilgore woman remembers looking up from her seat at a fair exhibition to see her first airplane — a first for many at the fair.

Docia Bamberg has a life time of memories and plenty of firsts that she recounts with joy.

"I remember the first time I saw a car. My mother had me out, we were walking down the lane and when we saw that car coming Mama made us get under the fence," Bamberg recalls.

Among other firsts she remembers, as she reflects on the last 100 years, is World War I.

"I remember we never did have enough sugar or flour," Bamberg said. "That war is something I will never forget.

Bamberg attributes her longevity to good health and the good Lord.

"I am thankful the Lord has been so good to me," she said.

Part of her giving thanks to the lord is fulfilling her calling to teach Sunday school at Kilgore Missionary Baptist Church for 47 years.

She grew up in a home known around Kilgore as "The Old Holt House."

"It was a nice home and had a wrap-around porch," Bamberg recalled. "We had a lot of rooms and fireplaces and high ceilings."

Bamberg recalls her childhood, which was cut short — as was her education — when she quit school to care for her baby sister.

Other work she was responsible for included cotton picking, sewing and cooking, which she learned from her mother.

"We cooked a big meal every night," Bamberg said. "My mother would lay out our meal along a long wooden table with benches down both sides. I spent my time there helping my mother with day-to-day chores. I didn't mind, or know any different. I thought it was just a part of life."

Part of Bamberg's chores were to makes sure sheets were laundered and rooms kept up for an oil drilling crew — working two full-time shifts — and taking residence with the family.

Eventually Bamberg made her livelihood doing what she loved most — sewing. She took a job as a seamstress at Quality Cleaners, where she worked for 20 years. She worked another 10 years at KIlgore Manufacturing Company.

Later in life she ran an alteration shop in downtown Kilgore as well as out of her home. Bamberg also took in alteration jobs from Maple's Men's Shop, Weinberg's Men's Shop and J.C. Penny's.

"I am a trouble-shooter, so I am able to fix what others have done wrong," Bamberg said. "I imagine I have done alterations and made clothing for half of Kilgore."

Longtime neighbor and friend, Dr. Terry Ray, said Bamberg helped raise his children.

"She fed my son his first bite of grown-up food," Ray said. "Our family just sort of claimed her."

Helen "Pudge" Griffin was Bamberg's neighbor on the other side for 17 years.

"I always admired her for being such a fine Christian woman," Griffin said. "She was just born to serve the lord."

Griffin said Bamberg did a lot of sewing for the Griffin family.

"She sewed every stitch that was ever sewed in our house," Griffin said.

Bamberg's family and friends have a special birthday celebration planned for her Saturday, Nov. 15; she turns 100 on the following Thursday.