Southern Care Assisted Living Resident Ethel Talley Celebrates 106 Years

TIFTON, Ga. (January 19, 2016) – January 22nd is a big day for Southern Care Assisted Living in Tifton, Ga., as they celebrate Mrs. Ethel Talley in 106 years of living. Mrs. Talley has been a part of the Assisted Living family at Southern Care since 2009.

Mrs. Talley was born in Irwin County in 1910, but resided in Tift County for the majority of her life. She lived in the same house in Chula for 75 years, many of those years being shared with her husband, A.W. “Buster” Talley.

She was wedded to A.W. “Buster” at the age of 18 in Jacksonville, FL. Mrs. Talley has one son and two daughters, six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

She attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton and spent several of her adult years working as a clerk at Cohen’s Department Store in Tifton. She is also a proud member of First Baptist Church of Tifton.

“I enjoy playing bingo and doing word searches. It helps keep my mind active and alert,” Mrs. Talley shared.

Kim Blackstock, Southern Care's Life Enrichment Coordinator shared with us, “We will be celebrating Mrs. Talley’s birthday on Friday at 2:00 with a delicious cake and lots of friends. The festivities will continue the following day with her family.”

It’s going to be a busy weekend for Mrs. Talley, but she is very excited to celebrate her longevity with her family and friends. “We always dedicate this month to Mrs. Talley. I mean come on, she deserves it!” Blackstock said.

There are a few daily routines that seem to be beneficial in hopes of a long lifespan. Mrs. Talley shares with us that her trick is, “lots of working, walking, and talking; reading the Bible twice a day; and not eating too many sweets.”

“You would never know Mrs. Talley is 106 unless she told you. She is young at heart and spirit. We are so blessed by her and so happy to have her here with us at Southern Care,” Blackstock shared.

“We delighted in serving the greatest generation,” stated Bryan Cook, Senior Vice President of Legacy Senior Services, the parent company of Southern Care. “Mrs. Talley epitomizes this amazing generation … dedication to family, hard work, loyalty and longevity! We are blessed to serve her and her family.”

About Legacy Senior Services, LLC

Legacy Senior Services, LLC, operates a family of senior living communities throughout the Southeast, specializing in independent living, assisted living, or Alzheimer’s care services. Headquartered in Cleveland, Tenn., the company is committed to serving the ‘Greatest Generation of Americans’ with honor, respect, faith and integrity. It was founded in 2002 by Barry Ray and Bryan Cook, senior living industry veterans. More information is available at legacyss.com or by calling (423) 478-8071.