The daughter of 107-year-old Julia Mae Hunter-Rice said it’s her mother’s commitment “to that which is right” that has led to her long life.
“Her secret is smiling and being fair,” Hunter-Rice’s daughter, Dorthy Dickson, told WTOK-TV. “She has always stood for that which is right and, at 107, she’s still the captain of the ship.”
The centenarian’s other daughter, Julia, also credited her mother’s longevity to her commitment to the Golden Rule, found in Matthew 7:12, in which it is written, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (NIV).
Hunter-Rice, born June 2, 1916, danced as her family sang happy birthday to her.
Last year, a 100-year-old woman from Maryland credited her faith in God as the “secret” to her long life.
“The secret is the grace of God living in me and me trying to live the best life that I could,” said Martha Bailey, who was born in 1922 and grew up in Virginia. “The secret is loving the Lord.”
Bailey’s inspiring story caught the attention of the Rev. Franklin Graham, who called the Virginian’s “secret” to longevity “a great recipe for life.”
“Happy 100th Birthday, Mrs. Bailey — and we hope you have many more! God bless you!” he wrote.