Rebecca 'Becky Davis celebrates 100th birthday

By Katie Bottorff
Community Relations Director
TrustWell Living
Bell Gardens Place

Note: The following is from Rebecca "Becky" Davis's 100th birthday party at TrustWell Living – Bell Gardens Place in Hillsboro.

Today is a very special day. We have gathered to celebrate an extraordinary woman, Rebecca “Becky” Davis, and an extraordinary milestone – 100 years of life. One hundred years.

When you think about everything that can happen in a century, it is almost impossible to imagine all the changes, memories, people, and experiences that can fit into one lifetime. But Becky has lived it. And today, we get to celebrate her story.

Becky was born on September 26, 1926 in West Virginia to Nelson and Ellsie Surgeon. 

She was the second oldest of four children, growing up with one brother and two sisters. Her childhood began in West Virginia, where the family lived on a farm. 

Her father worked in timber, and her mother was often sickly. Becky grew up during the end of the Great Depression, when many families were struggling and money was scarce. Becky says they were very poor. There weren't store-bought items like we have today, and her parents worked hard to provide for the family.

But there is something special about the way Becky remembers those years. She was happy. As a child, she didn't realize how difficult things were for her parents. She simply knew she had her family, the farm, church, and the everyday adventures of growing up. And Becky loved farm life. She learned to work hard, and apparently, she learned to operate farm equipment pretty early, too. In fact, Becky drove a steel-wheel tractor before she ever drove a car and she wasn't even 14 years old when she started driving.

Now, Becky did have one little incident when she started driving a car. She hit some ice and, apparently, her first instinct was to put her foot on the brake.

She also enjoyed drawing and painting. So, there was another side to Becky. She could work hard on the farm, but she also had an artistic side and enjoyed creating beautiful things. Her childhood was also shaped by faith and family. She grew up going to church, and those early lessons of faith became an important part of her life.

Becky has leaned on many Bible verses throughout the years. One of her favorite verses is Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you.” Those words have been a source of comfort and strength to Becky throughout her life.

There were two very special people who played a tremendous role in Becky's childhood and in the life 
of the whole family – her Aunt Pearle and Uncle Merton. Becky was named after Aunt Pearle, and she has always remembered the love that Pearle and Merton gave to her and her family.

Having no children of their own, they lavished their love and care on the children in the family. They supported Becky's mother and father through many difficult times and were there when the family needed them. Their love was a blessing that Becky carried with her throughout her life.

And that seems to be one of the themes of Becky's life: People matter. She remembers the people who helped her. She remembers the people she worked with. She remembers her friends, her family, and the people who were part of her journey.

Then came another important change. Because Becky's mother was often sick, her doctor knew how difficult things were for the family. That doctor had a farm in Ohio and suggested that the family move there to farm. 

Perhaps Ohio would offer them a better opportunity and a chance for a new beginning. So, the family made the move from West Virginia to Ohio. And that move would become another important chapter in Becky's story.

As Becky grew older, her life continued to take her in new directions. She went to college in Columbus and attended Bob Jones University in South Carolina. Becky studied clerical and secretarial work, which would become an important part of her career. 

But she didn't stop there. She also took Bible courses, continuing the faith that had been part of her life since childhood. And Becky remembers something else about college that always makes me smile.

She says that she used a computer in college. But Becky is very quick to clarify that it wasn't anything like the computers we know today. She emphasizes that it was a “BIG computer.”

And if you think about it, she has quite a story to tell. 

Becky has lived long enough to go from steel-wheel tractors to computers that filled rooms, and then to the tiny computers we now carry around in our pockets. That's 100 years of technological change!

Becky also played soccer in college. She'll tell you herself that she wasn't much of a player—but she enjoyed it. And maybe that's another lesson from Becky: You don't always have to be the best at something to enjoy being part of it.

After college, Becky worked in Columbus for seven years. Those years gave her more than just a career. They gave her friendships and memories that she treasured. One of the fondest memories Becky has from that time was living in Columbus with the friends she made there. And those friendships weren't just temporary friendships.

Even after everyone moved on with their lives and went in different directions, they stayed in touch. They visited one another and continued those friendships through the years. That says something about Becky.

She has always valued relationships. She has always remembered the people in her life—all the friends, coworkers, and family she has cherished over the years. And the friendships she made along the way became part of the story of her life. Now, Becky worked as a secretary for most of her career. She worked at Wilkin Insurance, Merchants Bank, and the stockyard. She was dependable, hardworking, and displayed capable qualities she had learned from her family and from growing up on the farm.

And there is a wonderful family memory connected to her time at Wilkin Insurance. Her niece, Sandy, remembers going to Wilkin Insurance with Becky when she was about 10 years old. Sandy would get to play secretary while she was there. For Sandy, it became a fond childhood memory. And I think that's another example of something Becky has always done—she made room for people.

She made room for family. She made room for friends. She made room for the people around her.

Faith wasn't simply something Becky talked about. It was something she lived. She would often host Bible school at her home. She would meet every Wednesday at her church and lead Bible study at the First Church of the Nazarene. For many years, sharing her faith and studying the Bible was an important part of her life.

Her vision and hearing have become tired over the years, and she eventually had to retire from some of the things she loved doing. But even that hasn't stopped her from staying connected to her faith.

Today, Becky enjoys listening to the Bible on audio. The way she connects with the Bible may have changed, but the importance of her faith has not.

Isaiah 41:10 still speaks to her: “Fear not, for I am with you.”

But eventually, another very important chapter of Becky's life began. Becky met Donald Davis.

They were introduced through Pete Dennis, who had hauled lime for Donald and his father.

Donald was a farmer, and he was looking for a mate—and a mother for his two boys, Jim and Gene. Becky and Donald dated for about a year, and in  October of 1960, they were married. And just like that, Becky began another chapter—not only as Donald's wife, but as a stepmother to Jim and Gene.

Over the years, the family continued to grow, with many treasured family members, nieces, nephews, and six great-grandchildren.

Life on the farm came naturally to Becky. She had grown up on a farm, after all.

Her journey had come full circle in a way.

The little girl who had grown up on a farm in West Virginia, who drove a steel-wheel tractor before she drove a car, eventually found herself, at the age of 34, married to a farmer and building a life and family back on a farm.

And that life was built on the same things she had learned as a child: Work hard. Have faith. Love your family. And appreciate what you have.

Now according to Becky, anyone who knows Becky and the Surgeon family probably knows that there is another important part of the story. It is said that Surgeon women are strong-willed and set in their ways.

And if you've ever known one, you probably know exactly what that means! That's their way. And Becky certainly has a little bit of that Surgeon determination in her.

But maybe being strong-willed isn't such a bad thing. Because that determination has helped Becky keep going through 100 years of life.

People often want to know the secret to living to 100.

So, naturally, we asked Becky. And her advice is surprisingly simple: Eat your vegetables and exercise. That's it!

And perhaps Becky has some evidence to back up her theory. Her father lived into his 90s, and her mother lived into her 80s. Becky has lived a good, clean life, enjoyed gardening, stayed active, and—most importantly—ate her vegetables. And if you've ever been around Becky, you may know one of her famous side dishes: Carrot salad with pineapple.

So, if anyone here is looking for the secret to longevity, perhaps we should all start with the carrot salad!

When we look back over Becky's 100 years, it is amazing to think about everything she has seen and experienced.

One hundred years is not simply a number. It is a lifetime of stories. It is a lifetime of people. It is a lifetime of change. It is a lifetime of memories.

There were difficult days along the way. There were losses, challenges, disappointments, and 
times when life wasn't easy. But there were also so many wonderful days.

Becky has been blessed to live long enough to see generations of her family grow and to watch the world change around her. And today, we get to give something back to her. We get to surround her with the people who love her.

Becky, when you look around this room today, I hope you realize what a wonderful legacy your 100 years have created. Your life began with humble beginnings. You didn't grow up with a lot of material things, but you grew up surrounded by family, faith, hard  work and love.

And those things have stayed with you.

You have shown us that you don't need a lot of money or possessions to have a rich life. A rich life is built by the people you love. It's built from the friendships you keep. It's built from the memories you make. It's built from faith, perseverance, kindness, and the willingness to keep going when life gets difficult.

And Becky, you have done all of that.

So today, we aren't just celebrating the fact that you have reached 100 years old.

We are celebrating the 100 years that made you who you are.

Happiest of birthdays, Becky.  

We appreciate you sharing your day with us.    

Note: More than 80 people attended to celebrate her day. Family (some traveled as far as Hawaii and Maryland), friends, folks in the community and State Rep. Bob Peterson hand-delivered her a beautiful certificate acknowledging Becky on her special day. She also received acknowledgment and certificates from the Highland County Commissioners, and Ohio Governor's office.