Nellie Louise Pharr turned 100 Feb. 16, but she isn’t letting her age hold her back — she made the journey from her home in College Station, Texas, to Vicksburg to celebrate her birthday with family and friends Feb. 21.

Pharr was born in 1915 in Alie, Ga., and she married Sherman C. Pharr Sr., whom she was married to for 69 years until his death.

Pharr’s daughter Mert Williams said 71 years ago her parents moved to Vicksburg after her father took a job with R.G. LeTourneau.

“That was the only place he ever worked besides working for his daddy at the sawmill,” she said. “During the time that he worked for R.G. Letourneau here in Vicksburg, dad went to Liberia and Peru and my mom went with him a couple of times and stayed six months at a time.”

Williams said her mother loved to sew for her children and all of her friends.

“All of her patterns she used were cut out of newspaper if she was lucky enough to get one or paper bags,” she said. “She never had a bought-pattern. Still she was an expert seamstress; she could sew anything.”

Williams said Pharr was also an excellent cook and she could often be found working in her yard.

“She values in her life that she never drank, she never smoked, and she’s always lived a Christian life,” she said. “I know she believes in the good lord because of the way she brought us up. I’ve always said if I ever had an angel on this earth, my momma is that angel.”

Williams said even in her old age her mother still reads her bible the newspaper and she always has a smile.

“She always told us she was going to live to be 100, so now we’re shooting for 110 or more,” she said.

Pharr said she really enjoyed her birthday.

“I had a good family I guess, and I stayed busy.” Pharr said of why she was able to live so long.

Pharr received five special birthday cards: from President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden; from former President George W. Bush; from Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant; from Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal; and from former Sen. Trent Lott

Pharr now resides in College Station, Texas, with her daughter Peggy Mackey.

In addition to Williams and Mackey, Pharr has another daughter, Louise Hall of Vicksburg, who has been involved with the Miss Mississippi pageant for 43 years, and a son, Sherman Pharr Jr.

Pharr also has several grandchildren and great grandchildren who were in attendance for her celebration.