Gardens of Wetumpka Assisted Living has three residents turning 100 years old this year — Joan Bromley, Jackie Sumners and Juanita Welker.
Joan Bromley
Bromley’s birthday is Nov. 7, and she said it feels “impossible” to almost be turning 100. Thinking back on her childhood, she said what stands out the most was running away from home when she was around 6 years old.
“I tell that story all the time. I was mad at my mother, and I packed my bag and I went probably two doors down. I ran away from home, but she [my mother] knew where I was,” Bromely said.
Bromley was born in New York City, and she went to a boarding school in Pennsylvania. From there she went to college at Vassar, and throughout her years she has lived in Florida and Chicago as well.
“I taught daycare for all my life and I owned my own too,” she said. “I loved it because it was little kids… and so I did that until I retired.”
In addition to taking care of kids, she also made a home for many dogs. Bromley said she probably couldn’t even count how many she has had — sometimes she just had one; other times it was three or four.
Bromley originally moved to Alabama because it is where her daughter lives, and she said she hopes to “hang around a little while.”
Jackie Sumners
Sumners was born in Lindale, Georgia, and had the first birthday of the 100-year-olds on Oct. 20. She came to Wetumpka when she was 9 years old and has lived in the area ever since.
“Wetumpka has changed a lot since I came here. The year we came here is when they opened the Bibb Graves Bridge and downtown was nothing [back then],” Sumners said. “It had cement sidewalks and all that, but it didn’t have traffic lights I don’t think.”
As a teenager, she went dancing with her friends on Friday nights and would go to Harrogate Springs to swim. She attended Wetumpka High School and was crowned May queen.
After graduating from high school, Sumners worked as a payroll clerk for the cotton mill and then later worked for the government until she retired.
“I was just glad I didn’t have to go to work, but then I thought ‘I wish I could go back to work.] My friends, most of them, were still working and I didn’t have nothing to do … I stayed at home, and it was boring,” she said with a laugh.
However, one of the constant joys in her life has been living in Wetumpka.
“Wetumpka is a good place to live, and people are very kind and lovely. And I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else…” she said.
Juanita Welker
Welker will be turning 100 on Dec. 31 — the last day of the year.
Juanita Welker is the final resident turning 100 this year.
“I can’t tell any difference,” she said, considering what turning 100 might feel like. “I just don't have the energy I used to have, but that’s been normal for a good long while.”
Growing up, Welker lived across the street from her grandparents in Alabama, and she said it was fun having family so close by. She went to high school in Opp, Alabama, and later for college she attended Athens State University.
“I was really proud that I was able to have enough brains left to do college work and get my degree,” she said.
Welker also taught hair cosmetology courses at MacArthur Community College until she retired. Once she retired, she said she got to travel to California and some of the states up North where she visited with a former colleague and his wife.
“I would say get all [your] education while [you] are younger and not until [you] get too old like I was,” Welker said. “It's harder when you're older. You don't retain it as well.”
Welker said teaching hair might not sound very studious, but there is a lot more book work than one might expect. With having the last birthday of three, Welker said she hopes she’s up for whatever “the kids” have planned and she’s sure it's something.
In celebration of the centennial birthdays, Gardens of Wetumpka will have a parade on Nov. 18.
