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Gertrude Childers’ Birthday Present
June 2006
Gertrude Childers recently celebrated a milestone birthday in a particularly special and meaningful way. For her 101st birthday party June 1 at The Hampton at Tanglewood, Childers asked friends, family and neighbors to donate $1.01 – a penny for every year of her life. Rather than keep the money for herself, Childers personally donated the total – $200.67 – to
M. D. Anderson.
“My daughter would really be happy,” said Childers, referring to Aileen Hunter, who died of breast cancer several years ago. Childers, who drove her daughter from Beaumont to M. D. Anderson for treatments over the course of three years, requested that her contribution go to the Nellie B. Connally Breast Center at M. D. Anderson.
“I wanted to come back one more time, for a happy reason,” she said. “I’m so happy I could come.”
Childers was born in Orange and lived in Beaumont before moving to Houston to be near her family. She has lived at The Hampton for three years.
“I have one granddaughter, one great-granddaughter and one great grandson here in Houston,” she said. “They are the love of my life.”
Asked her secret to health and longevity, the young-at-heart centenarian said it’s important “never to overdo.” “I also think doing for others makes you feel better,” she added with a smile.