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With a great-grandson on her lap, a great-granddaughter serenading her on violin, and a gathering of family and friends nearby, Eleanor Rachel celebrated her 100th birthday at Troy Health & Rehabilitation on Thursday.

For the centenarian, it was a blessed and happy day.

“I never thought about living 100 years,” Eleanor Rachel said. “I am so blessed, just so blessed.”

To a one, her son, Danny Rachel, his wife, Patricia, of Needmore, and their extended family said they, were blessed to continue having the matriarch of the family in their lives.

The birthday honoree is a native of Needmore. She was living happily and easily at home until a shoulder injury required care at a facility in Dothan.

“Mother has been widowed for 44 years and she was staying at her home, where she wanted to be until six months ago,” Danny Rachel said. “A shoulder injury placed her in a Dothan facility for a while.”

But, Mother said she wanted to come home. She is happy to be home and we are happy to have her.”

Eleanor Rachel said being near family and friends makes her happy and she enjoys being at TH&R.

And, the staff enjoys her said Brianna Cowart, certified nurse assistant.

“We have a good time together,” Cowart said. “We joke and laugh and eat chocolate. I don’t think of Mrs. Rachel as being 100 years old. She is young at heart. She is so blessed and we are just as blessed to have her in our lives.”

Friends joined family members in celebrating the milestone event in Eleanor Rachel’s life and in the life of her family.

The honoree said the blessings of the Good Lord have kept her in this world and the love and caring of family and friends has made her life one of joy.

The love of family was evident as was Eleanor Rachel’s love of family and friends. She shared hugs and laughter with all the well-wishers and the special attention of her great-grandson Rhett Sanders who stayed at her side and her great-granddaughter Mary Daniel Sanders who played the violin “especially” for her.

For Eleanor Rachel, her 100th birthday was “the best of them all” and so was the chocolate cake!