‘Quilt Lady’ Louise Aiken Celebrates 100 Years

Louise Hooper Aiken, will celebrate her 100th birthday, next Monday, June 3.

While most folks look ahead to retirement as a time to relax, take things a bit slower, and enjoy a more laid-back life style, those were not the plans of “Miss Louise,” as so many call her. She knew all along that after she retired, 35 years ago, that she would just be getting started.

Miss Annie Louise Hooper was the fifth of nine children born to a Henry Hooper and his wife, Annie Whitten Hooper, in Macon, on June 3, 1913.

She attended school in Jasper County and helped tend the family farm. She married Ray Aiken in 1940, and, like many of the “Great Generation” who made sacrifices and supported the war effort at home, they worked together at the Naval Ordnance Plant in Macon, during World War II. Her job was placing fuses into bombs. “Miss Louise” remembers that they had to be quick about it, and that there were some who lost fingers or hands as they did this important task.

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Shortly after the war, the Aikens moved back to Jasper County, where they raised their daughter, Brenda, and son, Robby. In addition to raising her children, along with an annual vegetable garden, keeping her house, and maintaining involvement with the community, Mrs. Aiken worked 31 years at the Enterprise Aluminum Plant in Eatonton.

“Miss Louise” has been an active member of Monticello First United Methodist Church for over 50 years.

In addition to continuing to raise tomatoes, collards, squash and more, in a small plot beside her home, she often cooks for her family and friends. Her cheese straws are known and loved by many in her church and the community. One of her pickle recipes is even highlighted in Trisha Yearwood’s second cookbook, Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood.

In addition to her love and devotion to her children, three grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, “Miss Louise” loves to quilt.

She has dedicated hundreds of hours and blankets to Project Linus, and not a New Year’s Day goes by that she doesn’t have a “quilt in to sew on all the year through”. In fact, Miss Louise has never allowed misfortune, injury or illness to keep her too long away from her needlework. To date, she has pieced and/or quilted over a hundred quilts, most for family, and a very few, very close, very fortunate friends.

To celebrate this amazing lady’s 100th birthday, her children plan to honor her with a reception this Saturday, June 1, at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, Shepherd Conference Center, Building C, from 1-4 p.m. All friends and relatives are invited. The reception will incorporate a quilt show, featuring over 75 of Miss Louise’s handmade quilts.

“Miss Louise” is pictured above with a quilt she made and her grandson, Donnie Oulsnam and his wife, Tasha Noles Oulsnam.