'I guess we just got blessed with a long life': Florida twins celebrate 100th birthdays
WEWAHITCHKA, Fla. — This may be a small town, but the people who live here have big hearts. More than 200 of them came out Thursday to help celebrate the 100th birthday of twins Vera Herring Rozier and Era Herring Luckie Daniell.
“This is amazing,” Vera said as she sat at the head table, soaking it all in.
The birthday celebration was held at the Wewahitchka Senior Citizens and Community Center, which has been a gathering place for many local events over the years such as school dances, proms and other social events.
“This is great ... I hope they all have a good day,” Era said as she sat in the receiving line.
The two ladies have touched a lot of lives — literally — the past seven decades. Vera was a hairdresser for 50 plus years while Era worked at the Gulf County Health Department for 20 years before retiring.
At the celebration, ladies in the crowd were asked to stand if they had ever visited Vera’s salon, located at her home near the West Arm bridge. About 50 ladies stood. And about 30 or more stood when asked if they had received care from Era at the health department.
It was a big day for the twins as they walked into the center and were greeted by so many familiar faces. They sat in a receiving line as people walked through, hugged and swapped just tidbits of what were likely long stories.
“Vera did mom’s hair for about 40 years ... nobody could do her hair like Vera,” said Linda Santana as she came through the line.
“Somebody needs to put signs behind them ... they look so much alike,” said 91-year-old Merle Jones.
Backstory on Era and Vera
They were born in a log cabin on Feb. 8, 1924 in Bolling, Butler County, Alabama to Tom and Era Exa “Exie” Herring. They both weighed about 2 pounds and had arrived before the doctor did. So, which one came first? They are not sure.
In later years, Vera has said she’s the youngest, and Era has graciously accepted to be the oldest, said Vera’s daughter Linda Davis.
The twins lived through the Depression. They picked cotton, drew water from a well, used an outdoor latrine and walked almost everywhere they went.
“Neither had running water in their home until they got married,” Davis said.
The sisters liked to read and did their homework in front of the fireplace.
The twins graduated from Moore Academy in Pineapple, Alabama, where they played basketball.
Hank Williams and his band played at two of their high school events. Era won a beauty contest at one of the events and received gifts from Hank Williams.
When asked on Thursday who her favorite singer was, Era still said, “Hank Williams.”
In 1946 Era married Gene Luckie and introduced Vera to his friend Malcom Rozier. By the end of that year, Vera and Malcolm were married and settled in Pensacola, where her sister lived.
Era had one daughter, Yvita, and two sons, Ronald and Michael. Vera had two daughters, Linda and Doris.
In 1956 the Roziers moved to Wewahitchka and the Luckies moved to Panama City, then to Wewa in 1957.
Vera attended beauty school in Pensacola and graduated in 1960. After an internship with Eddie Belle White in Wewa, she opened a shop in her home. She worked in her shop up until the last couple of years.
In 1962, Era’s husband was killed in a car accident, and she went to work at the Gulf County Health Department, alongside Ruby Gilbert, to help support her family. She worked there for 20 years before retiring in 1981. She then married Emmette Daniell and moved to St. Joe, where she is an active member of the Church of Christ. Emmette died in 1990.
Vera’s husband died in 1985 after 39 years of marriage.
Secret to longevity
“The Lord has a reason ... I just don’t know. Maybe I’m needed,” Era said as she sat on the bench in front of the center awaiting the party Thursday at the Wewahitchka Senior Citizens and Community Center.
“The Lord is always with me. If you keep the Lord with you, you always have someone to depend on,” Era said.
Vera said, “I guess we just got blessed with a long life.”
Vera said she is never sick.
“The only time I was in the hospital was when I had my babies,” Vera said.
The two sisters still try to get together as often as possible.
“We used to get together every weekend,” Vera said. Era would come to Wewahitchka and Vera would do her hair.
However, Era doesn’t drive much anymore.
A special dual centennial celebration
The receiving line was full of familiar faces. Carolyn Husband of Centennial Bank in Wewahitchka came by on her lunch break to wish the twins well.
“You’re my inspiration,” Husband told Vera. Husband explained that Vera has been a customer of the bank for 60 plus years and still does her own banking.
“If all my customers were as good as her, it would be a good day,” Husband said.
And when she comes to do her banking, she is dressed up, hair done, nails perfect.
“You’re my mentor,” she said.
People from the First Baptist Church, where Vera still attends, were there for the party.
“She absolutely the best smile,” said Nancy Kramer, noting Vera sits a few rows in front of them.
“She is also very faithful to come,” said the pastor’s wife, Robin Stroud, noting that Vera still, at 100, drives herself to church.
“Sometimes we have to back her out,” Stroud said, but she is good to go.
“And always a classy dresser,” Stroud said.
District Director of the Garden Club Sue Meyer came to the party and recognized both ladies and their love for flowers, but especially Era.
Era had been a past president of the St. Joe Garden Club where her floral creations had won many blue ribbons over the years.
“I’m just honored to be a part of her life,” Meyer said of Era.
Several people spoke at the celebration, including Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison, who spoke on behalf of the congregation of First Baptist.
“We thank you for your 70 years of service ... we’re honored and inspired by you,” Harrison said.
Mayor Rex Buzzett of Port St. Joe called Vera the matriarch of Wewahitchka (population 1,800) and Era the matriarch of St. Joe. “They are the matriarchs of Gulf County,” Buzzett said.
Buzzett said think of all the things they have witnessed since their birth in 1924. He mentioned such things as the invention of penicillin, the polio vaccine, nuclear bombs and the building and tearing down of St. Joe Paper Company, as well as cellphones and Facebook.
“They have seen a lot, and they are going to see many more,” Buzzett said.
He presented the twins with a 100-year medallion commemorating the anniversary celebration of St. Joe.
Gulf County Commissioner David Rich read a proclamation for the twins, and Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a letter wishing them well on their birthday.
Tina Harbuck is a native of Gulf County and grew up in Wewahitchka
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Quite a party: Florida twins, Era and Vera, mark 100th birthday
