Rosa Nell Blanton, of Cumberland County, celebrated her 103rd birthday Sept. 29 at her home with her family and friends stopping in to give love.

On Sept. 30, she continued her celebration with a luncheon with her family and friends at Sheldon’s Restaurant in Keysville.

Nell, as she is known, was born Sept. 29, 1914 in Cumberland County and still lives there. She attended Cumberland County schools. Her career days were in the domestic field, caring for others away from home as she cared for her family at home.

During her younger years, she enjoyed cooking, traveling and attending church. She still today is a dedicated member and holds the title of The Mother of the Church at Sharon Baptist Church in Cumberland.

Now at 103, she still enjoys reading, talking to family and friends on the telephone and, as always, she is the center of attention, and her heart welcomes all who visit — not only on her birthday.

TV shows have changed tremendously over the years: she no longer watches soap operas, but she still watches game shows, and the actor Steve Harvey catches her attention on any show.

Also at 103, she will tell you that her journey has been long, but blessed. God has been good to her. She is in excellent health, having only been hospitalized once in her entire life. She is in her right mind, and she knows God deserves all of the praise.

She is the 11th child of the late Phillip and Suzanna Gary, wife of the late Abraham Lincoln Blanton. She is a mother of nine children: the Rev. Lucille Maddox, of Arverne, New York; Susie Sanderson (John), of Henrico; Lewis Blanton (deceased); Delisa Blanton, of Farmville; Angela McCorkle, of Jamaica, New York; Admus Gary Blanton, of Farmville; Alice Hamlet, of Midlothian; the Rev. Silas Blanton (Tonya), of Farmville; Curtis Blanton (Jennifer), of Baltimore; and Maryland and Gloria Vincent (Lawrence), of Hurdle Mills, North Carolina.

She is a grandmother of 18, great-grandmother of 32 and great-great