ELEANOR — Longtime Eleanor, Putnam County, resident Louise Jividen has had her share of happy moments in her life, but one of the most memorable was her recent, surprise 100th birthday party.
Nearly 200 family members, neighbors and friends made the trek to celebrate Jividen on her 100th birthday, Sunday, July 20 at the historic Red House behind Town Hall in Eleanor, but the biggest surprise was seeing her active-military-duty grandchildren who are currently stationed in Oklahoma and Japan.
“I thought it would be years until I saw them again,†Jividen said. “There were people there I had known for a long, long time, and I was really happy to see them. I’m telling you, I couldn’t believe it, and I had so many people that I hadn’t seen for several years. You could hardly stir them with a stick -- I never saw so many people.â€
The party was full of love, presents and candy, with wall-to-wall people and a line of folks waiting to talk to and congratulate Jividen.
“It was wonderful, and she enjoyed every minute of it,†granddaughter Brandie James said. “It was a tremendous outpouring of love for her.â€
The legacy of Jividen’s life is found in her family. A humble woman, with three children, six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren, Jividen takes every opportunity to talk about her loved ones.
“I love all my kids and grandkids,†Jividen said. “They’re all good to me.â€
She’s also extremely proud of her family’s history of military service. Her late husband, Rancel Lee Jividen, served in the U.S. Navy and was aboard the USS Grimes as it sat in Tokyo Bay when the peace treaty with Japan ending World War II was signed on the nearby USS Missouri.
“He was so proud,†Jividen said. “You talk about somebody being patriotic, he was.â€
Jividen’s sons served in the military, and many of her grandchildren are current service members.
“This is a very patriotic family, really, and both of my brothers were in the military; they followed Dad,†daughter Brenda Shamblin said.
Jividen attributes her husband’s patriotism to another trait: He was a subscriber of the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Gazette for decades, and she carries that same desire for keeping up with the news.
“My dad would read that paper from cover to cover,†Shamblin said. “She continually gets the news. She just likes to keep up with the news and daily functions, and they’ve taken (the Gazette-Mail) as long as I can remember. We would be lost without it.â€
Jividen doesn’t have a secret to her longevity; she simply credits good genes, proper nutrition and her faith for her long life.
“My mother and dad both were in their 90s when they passed away,†Jividen said. “I think it’s good genes and proper food. When mother cooked and put it on the table, we ate. It wasn’t junk food, and I tried to take good care of myself.â€
A hospital stint two years ago was difficult for Jividen, but her faith carried her through it and she remains in fairly good health today.
“God takes care of me; I talk to him every night before I go to bed,†Jividen said.
As she reflects back, Jividen said the happiest moment of her life was when she got married in 1942, and the birth of her children overshadows any major news event in her memory.
“I had a good husband,†she said. “He was good to me, he was good to the family, and he took care of us. We loved those kids. I had a good life.â€
Born in Nitro, West Virginia in 1925, Jivden and her husband continued to live there before he entered the Navy during World War II. In 1953, the family moved to Eleanor, where they’ve been ever since.
“It was a happy home,†Jividen said. “My husband has been gone going on 12 years, and I still miss him.â€
The entire family helps care for her, with one grandson calling each night to check on her, mowing her grass and more.
“I’ve got a good family,†Jividen said. “I’ve got the best grandkids. To me, they’re the best anybody could have.â€
Jividen said she passes along what she’s learned in her 100 years of life to her family.
“I’ve learned a lot, sometimes not to speak when I should,†she said with a laugh. “I’ve tried to be good to people. I like people, I really do, and I’ve tried to teach my kids to be good to people. If you’re good to people, they’ll be good to you.â€
A century of living is not without its hardships, as Jividen lost her youngest son to cancer 11 years ago.
“You just have to buckle up and take it,†she said. “That’s all you can do. You can’t change life.â€
Jividen said she couldn’t name all her favorite moments from throughout her life, but everything always comes back to her family and loved ones.
“I couldn’t name them all, I just couldn’t,†she said. “I’ve just tried to live a good Christian life, and that means it all. I tried to teach my kids a good life and do good for people.â€
“She’s got a lot to be thankful for,†Shamblin said.
