Courtesy James M. Pitts

Lillian Cook Stewart recently celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at Six Mile Town Hall.

SIX MILE — Hundreds of family and friends gathered in the community room at Six Mile Town Hall recently to celebrate Lillian Cook Stewart’s 100th birthday.

Courtesy James M. Pitts
Lillian Cook Stewart is pictured with her husband to be, J. Furman Stewart, on the running board of his new Chevrolet many years ago.

Born on Aug. 21, 1914, she was one of eleven children born to Claude and Minnie Cook of Norris. Lillian married J. Furman Stewart of Six Mile, and the two were the parents of two daughters — Nancy and Doris. Lillian and Furman operated the Six Mile Cotton Gin and a fertilizer and feed dealership.

During the celebration, Lee Cook of Washington, D.C., presented his “Aunt Lillian” with a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol building and a letter from the president.

Surrounded by the love and laughter of family and friends, Stewart heard the presidential letter proclaim “Over the course of a century, you have made extraordinary memories and woven your own unique story into the American narrative. You are part of a generation who summoned the compassion and strength to guide our nation through some of our greatest challenges and triumphs, and we trust you take pride in your contribution to the life of our country.”

In addition to the rest of her family, Stewart enjoyed hte company of her younger sister, 98-year-old Lucille Garrett, and brother, Claude Cook Jr.

She also enjoyed looking over a photo gallery created by her granddaughter, Amy Guerreri.

During the coming weeks, Stewart will be busy opening and reading birthday cards. Come fall, she will join with other county residents in harvesting and shelling pecans.

A longstanding family joke is that she enjoys shipping the nuts out of Pickens County.