ARLINGTON, Va. — Hattie Jones spent her hundredth birthday at the same place she has spent the last 40 years, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington.
Jones has been a coat checker at the club for decades.
On Sunday she wasn’t working, she was the guest of honor.
“It’s just wonderful,” Jones said. “That’s biggest word I can use right now, with a lot of exclamation points!”
Getting a word in with Jones took a while, there was always a line of people waiting to get a hug with the tiara-wearing queen on her special day.
“I’m elated over being here,” Jones said.
Jones was up and dancing around the entire time, and her family and friends said that’s typical of Jones. Jones still works, drives, and exercises daily.
“There should be a special study done on her,” Jones’ friend Bob Taylor said. “She has known me probably longer than she's known anyone in this room, and I'll be 81 next month.”
Jones had surprise guests at her party, receiving a commendation from the Virginia General Assembly.
“She knows a lot of people and she’s been around for a long time,” Evelyn Simms said. “People love her, and they just enjoy being with her.”
All of her guests said they weren’t surprised so many people traveled near and far to celebrate her milestone, describing her as a fun-loving person that you want to be around. “Extraordinarily energetic, active, personable friendly, want we keep going,” Taylor joked.
Jones will be back at work at the country club this fall and has no plans of retiring.