Community helps Colley celebrate milestone birthday
Published 10:27 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Not many people these days can boast of living their entire lives within a two-mile radius of where they were born. But Lummie Colley can.
Born to Emory and Helen Henderson Folmar on College Street on Oct. 7, 1918, Mrs. Colley grew up in that house and, as newlyweds, she and J.O. “Tip” Colley moved in with her parents. They lived there until they were able to have a home of their own.
A few years later, the young couple and their baby daughter, Helen, moved a few streets over to 111 Hillcrest, and they never moved again.
Carla Telfair, Mrs. Colley’s daughter, finds that amazing, almost to the point of being unbelievable.
“Mother only changed bedrooms one time in her life,” she said. “You just don’t hear of that anymore. It’s amazing.”
From 2 until 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Mrs. Colley’s five children, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren will honor her with a 90th birthday celebration in the Parlor of First Baptist Church of Troy. All family and friends are invited to attend.
“Mother has lived all of her life in Troy, and she loves this town and its people,” Telfair said. “She grew up on College Street and, as an adult, has lived on Hillcrest. She was a part of almost everything in Troy as long as she was able to do so.
“Of course, Daddy was a town physician for 62 years. He was the doctor at the college for many years. His dad, J.O. Colley, Sr. was the superintendent of the Baptist Children’s Home and the pastor of First Baptist Church. So, mother was very involved in all of those areas along with Daddy.”
Mrs. Colley was very involved in the activities of First Baptist Church and the Troy Charity League, but her family has always been first and foremost in her life.
Her children Helen Johnston, Dr. Jim Colley, Carla Telfair, Jerry Colley and Leah Welty, and her sons and daughters by marriage, Larry Johnston, Patsy Colley, Ed Telfair, Judy Colley and Mike Welty, are the centers of her heart and just outside that center are the wealth of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “Mother loves her family and we all love her,” Telfair said. “She has many friends in the Troy area and we invite them all to share this very special occasion with her.”