Ruth Mullins celebrates a century in style

Published 10:37 am Tuesday, May 5, 2020

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Anyone who asks Ruth Mullins how she made it to her 100th birthday gets a quick answer.

“I tell them I lived way up in the mountains and had to work for a living,” she said.

Mullins sat in front of Goffs Corner First Church of God Sunday afternoon, with family and friends nearby, as about a dozen vehicles filed past carrying signs to celebrate her centennial.

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The Wolfe County native sat behind a couple of tables, to keep well-wishers socially distant, as a granddaughter handed cupcakes to those in the birthday parade around the church.

Mullins said she has lived in Clark County for about 60 years, and retired from Curlee Clothing in Winchester, where she worked on a sewing machine.

For a woman with six children, a dozen grandchildren, a dozen great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren, there are plenty of people to come to a party. The coronavirus situation, though, gave her family a chance to rethink the party and figure out another way.

“I’ve been having parties for her since she was 80,” daughter Dorrita Mullins said. “This is the first time we’ve had to do this. We kept hoping we could have a regular party, but this is what we got.”

Ruth Mullins was one of 23 siblings, Dorrita said, and has outlived all but one, she said.

All around the church were nieces and nephews, daughters and friends. There was live music as well. She had everything you need for a party, even if people were staying six feet apart.

“It’s great,” she said. “I loved it.”

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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