Gulfport woman turns 101!

A year ago, we celebrated Ethelyn Mozingo hitting triple digits when she turned 100.

It was a day of celebration at Memorial Driftwood Nursing Center – from sharing Christmas gifts to blowing out birthday candles.

Born in 1922, Ethelyn Mozingo is turning 101.

Her son Ron Mozingo says Ethelyn is hardworking and never complains. She retired after 32 years at Mississippi Power and went on to volunteer for another 27 years at Memorial.

“If you know her, you love her. Everybody does. I’m super blessed because she’s my mother,” said Ron Mozingo. “I could not have requested a better one. She’s just an incredibly amazing person.”

Incredibly amazing people deserved incredibly amazing birthday parties.

On top of a birthday party, seniors enjoyed a Christmas party with live music, gifts and stockings, and lots of sweets. May Ellis and Jessica Cobern helped plan these celebrations.

“They’re just as much our family as our own families are, and we take a lot of pride in making sure they feel loved,” said Jessica Cobern, director of nursing. “This is the holiday season, and it’s very important to have that family feeling.”

Maybe it’s that she doesn’t complain or that she lived life to the fullest, or it’s her kindness that got her to 101? Either way, Mozingo isn’t giving up the answer so easily.

“I don’t think there’s a secret to it,” Ethelyn Mozingo said. “I just behave myself and try to live right. That’s all.”