Story and photos by JEFFREY POWELL
Freeport, Fla. – On Aug. 17, 1916, World War one was raging in Europe, Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States and Bessie Mae Bryan was born in north Walton County, Fla. Her father, William Bryan, worked as a farmer and hauled tar wood for a living and Bessie Mae grew up on a farm in the Liberty area. Her mother Stella Virginia Henderson Bryan raised nine children and loved reading and teaching from the Holy Bible.
Sometime during her school yearsBessie Mae met and fell in love with Lawson Hugh Jones and the couple married in 1933. They had two children, both girls, named Virginia and Ronice. After working in the Florala sewing factory, “that was work,” she and her husband moved to south Florida and then to Chicago. He started a construction company and she worked and retired from TeleType. After retirement the couple returned to Walton County and built a home on Choctawatchee bay.
Unfortunately, Bessie Mae lost the “love of her life” when Lawson passed away in 1996. Ten years later her daughter Ronice and son-in-law Earl also moved to the Freeport area to be close to Bessie Mae. Over the past few weeks Bessie Mae has been celebrating her 100th birthday and has had three parties in her honor. Two of the gatherings were at McLain’s restaurant in DeFuniak Springs and the third was held at the Heritage Church, were she is a member in good standing. Ronice and Earl were with her all the way and hope to celebrate many more birthdays with their Bessie Mae.
“Having mom around is a real blessing and I thank God every day for her still being with us,” said Ronice. “How many 100-year-old women can still do what she is able to do? Having all these parties is a way to show our love and appreciation for her. At 100 years old she can have as many parties as she wants. She is a vital part of our lives.”
Bessie Mae is still relatively active and loves to watch for squirrels and hummingbirds outside her daughter’s Florida room. throughout her life she was a expert gardener and spent countless hours working in the yard. She attends church regularly and was a member of the Freeport Assembly of God for more than 30 years.
“I do not mind being 100 years old but I would have rather stayed young,” Bessie Mae said. “Being 100 beats the alternative. I was still very active and still driving until about three years ago. I appreciate all the parties even though I did not ask for them, they just had the parties anyway.”