It is hard to imagine how life was before the era of modern technology. I have to admit, I enjoy the time spent on the computer as well as games played on XBOX, the PS3, and PS4. However, it would be a dream come true to go back in time and live in the olden days. I guess you could call me “Old School. ” I wish I had been able to know my great-great-grandma Teel and have her share her childhood memories with me. She passed away on April 5, 1999, and I was born on June 18, 1999. Grandma Teel lived to be almost 101 years old!
My Grandma Brown (Nana) has shared with me the story of Grandma Teel’s 100th birthday celebration. June 12, 1998, marked the big day! Grandma Teel was still living in the home she and Grandpa Teel had bought fifty years earlier. Grandma was very excited and looking forward to celebrating her special day. She did wish Grandpa Teel was there to share the celebration. He had passed away on December 24, 1991 at the age of ninety-four years old. Grandpa and Grandpa were married seventy-one years.
Grandma Teel was very specific about her birthday cake. She wanted a three tier cake with yellow roses. She told everyone it should look like a wedding cake! It was a beautiful cake large enough to serve eighty people. As there were only twenty guests at the party, everyone enjoyed cake for several days! Among the guests were Grandma Teel’s three children: Ferne, Linn, and Joel. Ferne is my Great-Grandma Harris (Nana’s mother). Grandma Teel had sixteen grandchildren. Three of the granddaughters (my Nana and her two sisters) attended the party.
They had great fun decorating the house with streamers and balloons. Neighbors and other family members also shared the day with Grandma Teel. Grandma Teel’s home was in Overland, MO, and a small suburb town near St. Louis. Nana told me Grandma was very excited when a newspaper reporter stopped by the party to interview Grandma and take a photo! Grandma Teel shared many of her memories with the party guests. She had lived on a farm until she was 15 years old. She moved to St. Louis in 1918.
She met Grandpa Teel in 1919, and they were married in 1920. In Grandma’s 100 years she told the guests she had seen many events and inventions: flight, penicillin, the Arch in St. Louis, the moonwalk, several wars (WWI, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam), automobile, nuclear power, atomic bomb, TV, DVD, VCR, computer, stereos, video games, the tank, microwave, electric dishwasher, washer, dryer, cell phone, and presidents assassinated. Grandma Teel never had an electric dishwasher, modern washer, dryer, or microwave.
She used an electric wringer washer and hung the clothes in the basement or outdoors in good weather. Grandma’s first TV was bought in 1955. Nana told me she remembers the black and white TV. It is hard for me to believe it was not a color TV! Grandma shared some of her favorite cooking memories at the party. Nana says Grandma Teel was an excellent cook. Homemade pies were her specialty. Grandpa grew a home garden until he was 90 years old, and Grandma liked to use the fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden.
Everyone at the party was amused when Grandma told the story about a pressure cooker that exploded all over the kitchen. What a mess to clean up! I hope I am able to attend a 100th birthday party. It is possible since Great-Grandma Harris is 93 years old. In addition to learning about my great-great-Grandma’s birthday party, I find it amazing to realize all the events and inventions that have happened in the last 100 years. It makes me wonder what events and inventions will occur in 1999 to 2099.
