On Sunday, Jan. 20, Elsie Becker and 50 of her family members celebrated her 101st birthday which is on Jan. 24 with a carry-in dinner at the Wauneta Senior Center.
Included as a huge surprise among those attending were Luvern and Betty Becker, their son and daughter-in-law Alan and Joleen Becker and Ramona Bailey from the Clarksville, Iowa, area. Luvern and Ramona are Elsie’s nephew and niece from the Becker side of the family.
The afternoon was spent visiting. Special birthday greetings were sung by Brian, Mick and Joyce Majors and Leigh Clapp. The words include:
A glad and happy birthday
We wish to you our friend.
And may our heavenly father
A birthday blessing send.
A glad and happy birthday
All beautiful with love
And bright with many blessings
From our dear Lord above.
Relatives attending came from Oregon (Lebanon); Colorado (Fort Morgan, Aurora, Centennial, Littleton, Westminster and Elizabeth); Iowa (Waverly, New Hartford and Shell Rock) and Nebraska (Lincoln, Enders, Imperial, McCook and Wauneta).
In the evening, Elsie, her daughters Doris Craig and Evelyn Madison and Mick and Joyce Majors joined Don and Bonnie Majors in their home for a light supper.
Sunrise Heights honored her and Ida Bartels (who shares the same birthday and is also a Sunrise Heights resident) with ice cream and cake on Jan. 24.
Elsie’s life has always been centered around her family and the simple joys of life on the farm and in the community.
Elsie’s family consists of daughters Doris Marie Craig and Evelyn Ann Madison,  sons-in-law Darrell (Dee) Craig (deceased) and Randy Madison; four grandchildren: Monica (Craig) and husband Duane Longhofer; Jeffrey Craig and wife Gina; Karla (McAfee) and husband Jim Williams and Jason McAfee and wife Kelly; step-grandchildren: RaeLynn Madison Johnson and Clayton Madison; great grandchildren: Emily Craig, Vaughn Williams, Brody, Delaney and Nevaeh McAfee and step-great grandchildren: Kayli Galluzzi and Kaylin McAfee, Sonja, Morgan, Riley, Carter, Walker and Levi Johnson and Cienna, Caylee and Caden Madison.