Theda Layton Celebrates 104th Birthday

Theda Layton celebrated her 104th birthday recently at The Retreat Nursing Home in Monticello. A family member volunteered to share a bit about Mrs. Layton’s life with our readers, and we certainly appreciate it! Happy birthday, Theda!

Born in Southwest Georgia April 7, 1919, Theda Ford was the baby of nine children. She only has a vague memory of her mother—She recalled standing beside her mother’s sick bed and receiving a pat on the head. She thinks she was around three when her mother died. Her father left the family and moved out of state, never to return to Georgia. Theda was reared by her siblings in a loving home near Donalsonville.

She grew up happy with her family but also very poor. She remembers the siblings burning old rags soaked in kerosene to keep the mosquitos out of the house at night because there were no screens. She worked on the farm and in the home before and after school like many children in the area. She recalled recently, “the feel of cool upturned dirt” on her bare feet as she plowed and planted corn behind the mule. She milked cows, hand-picked cotton, and did whatever was needed as she and her family farmed to meet their needs.

She quit school around the age of 14 to work on the farm full time. About that time, she met a boy named George Odom. He wanted a date but her sisters said she was way too young to date. Later, she did date George and they married when she was 16.

They lived with her brother and sister-in-law and worked together on a rented farm. Later they had a son and then a daughter. The daughter died at the age of 4 in a fire. The young family carried on as a family of three. When their son was in high school, Theda took a job driving a school bus. She decided since she drove it to the school every day, she might as well stay, take classes and complete her education. She did just that. When her son was in the eighth grade she graduated high school with the class of 1950.

She was 31. She went along on the graduation trip to Tybee Island and had a wonderful time with the girls. She attended many high school reunions with the group through the years.

She and George enjoyed fishing and hunting. She was a good shot at the dove and quail shoots and bagged as many as the men. They were active in their church, were 4-H advisers, and busy in the community. She drove tractors and later picked cotton as they increased their farming acreage and enlarged their livestock herd. They made a good team together on the farm.

George had heart disease and died when they were in their early 40s. Their son took over the farm and Theda worked as a type setter at the local newspaper. She had always enjoyed music. She was self-taught of course.

There was never extra money for lessons. She played piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin and the harmonica. She loved to dance. She was a part of a square dancing group in the area.

Occasionally, a club in one town would hold a dance and invite other square dance circles from neighboring towns to join for the evening. That is where she met a fine man, Hill Nazworth. They dated, fell in love and married. She moved to his town, Pelham, and worked as a bookkeeper for Hand Trading Company—a large retail/wholesale company with a three story department store in downtown Pelham that sold everything.

She and Hill were able to save and build a weekend cabin on Lake Seminole near where she grew up. They loved to fish but never seemed to agree on the best fishing holes. So, he had his boat and she had hers. They entertained friends and family with fish suppers, card games, horse shoes, and live music. As she played guitar, Hill joined in playing the fiddle.

Theda always had a soft spot for old folks. She enjoyed their life stories and loved to visit and help out in the community. She took a new job as the director of a senior center in Pelham. The senior citizens were able to come five days a week for a reduced priced lunch and fellowship time together. The space they were using was a small rental area in town. The crowd soon outgrew the space. Theda wrote grants, pressed local politicians and pushed for a new center to be built. She was successful and the new Pelham Senior Center had the ribbon cutting in 1992.

In addition to lunch every day, Theda set up a shared library, a quilting area, exercise equipment and a place to dance. Speakers were invited in to give informative talks, health care workers were scheduled during the year to offer health and home safety tips as well. Theda’s husband, Hill, passed away and she continued her mission to serve the “old folks” at the Senior Center.

One of the highlights of the year was their summer camp trip to Fort Yargo State Park in Winder for a week of fun with seniors from around the state. They had athletic competitions, skits, and other activities. Theda drove a passenger van filled with happy campers each year.

At the senior center in Pelham, Theda met and married her third husband, Jim Layton. They enjoyed playing music, wood working together in Jim’s woodshop making bluebird houses and children toys. They also enjoyed gardening, playing music and playing cards with friends. Jim convinced Theda it was time to retire, and at the age of 80 she left the job she loved at the senior center. Later, Jim became ill and in their 80’s Theda drove him to his appointments at the VA hospital in Florida many times.

After Jim’s death she moved into a small apartment across the street from her beloved Senior Center. When she was 93 or 94, her grandchildren asked for her car keys. It seemed she was a bit heavy footed and they were concerned for her safety as well as the safety of the rest of the town. She was able to walk across the street for lunch at the senior center. She celebrated her 100th birthday in Pelham in 2019. The whole town was invited.

A few weeks later, she moved into an assisted living facility in Monroe to be closer to her grandchildren. She was very active there playing cards, making music and socializing with the residents. She could be seen every day, driving her scooter down the halls playing the harmonica and singing hymns.

Then there was COVID. The isolation in her room and no visitation from her family took a toll. She needed more care and her grandchildren began to look around for a nursing facility. Fortunately, for her and for them, there was an open bed at that time at The Retreat Nursing Home in Monticello.

Her family knew of the wonderful reputation of the facility and her granddaughter’s husband had retired as the pharmacist at the hospital next door. His mother had also been a resident there years earlier. The Retreat is the best facility around and a true gift to the town of Monticello and surrounding area.

Theda has been a resident of the Retreat for a year now. She has received excellent care and attention from everyone there. They are a strong group of folks—sometimes she requires all their “patience,” while other times she is as docile and cooperative as a lamb. She and her family are thankful and grateful for everything they do for her. She enjoys the activities—yoga, painting, checking out Kanvi’s colorful outfits and other things that are planned.

A new garden courtyard was completed last year. She loves to go out there in nice weather and call the names of the flowering shrubs and flowers like she grew in her yard for years. She has hearing loss but likes being included. So now, it is party time again. 104 bring it on!