Naomi Washington Whitehead, Pierce County native and the oldest living American, will celebrate her 116th birthday this Saturday, Sept. 26.
Her hometown of Patterson kicked off the celebration a little early last week, honoring its native daughter with a party and a presentation of its own.
Patterson Mayor Dedi Thomas and members of the Patterson Historical Commission presented a plaque to Mrs. Whitehead in honor of the occasion during a reception at the Richard Griffis Brick Room at Eagle Station last Thursday afternoon.
Mrs. Whitehead’s nephew, retired local educator Daniel Washington, accepted the award for his aunt.
A large gathering of Washington family members were in attendance and about a dozen of those will be making the trip to see Mrs. Whitehead at her home in a Greenville, PA assisted living facility.
Those in attendance also signed a commemorative card that relatives will present to Mrs. Whitehead on her birthday.
A plaque commemorating Mrs. Whitehead will also be on display at Patterson City Hall inside Eagle Station.
Mrs. Whitehead was born September 26, 1910 near Patterson to Douglas and Pauline Washington.
She is the widow of Sylvester Whitehead, who died in 1979. During the decades that followed, Whitehead endured the loss of her three sons and the siblings who shared her childhood. After the death of her last surviving son in 2011, Mrs. Whitehead moved to Pennsylvania, where she now resides at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community near Greenville.
Whitehead is known for her excellent memory and gift for singing hymns.
Her favorite was “Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There,” a gospel classic written by Charles Albert Tindley.
Family members often credit that faith, along with a lifetime of discipline and healthy living, for helping her reach 116 years of age. They say she never smoked, rarely sat idle and always placed God at the center of her life.
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