Francis Appleton — born on May 7, 1924 — recently commemorated the past 100 years of her beautifully long life in Limestone County, a life that she gladly devoted to her family and friends.
On Saturday, Francis was surrounded by her four children, nine grandchildren, myriad great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren for a celebration of her 100th year around the sun.
Marie Overmyer, the only daughter of Francis’ four kids, talked about the unique personality of her mother and the deep affection she had for her longtime husband, Phelix Appleton.
“She was a homebody through and through,” Overmyer said. “She made sure to always take care of her kids, and she loved her husband because they were together all the time.”
Francis and Phelix got married in April 1943, and their unwavering love persisted until Phelix passed away in 2009. A 66-year long marriage that lasted through a significant amount of change in Limestone County, especially in their small hometown of Pettusville.
“I don’t remember much growing up except her always being at home,” Overmyer said. “I do remember her always looking after us, she really didn’t have time to do anything else.”
Chelsea Johnson, one of Francis’ several great-grandchildren, talked about the peaceful demeanor of her great-grandmother and the time they spent together going through their family’s history.
“When I was younger, we used to always go over to my great-grandmother’s house, and we would usually look through old pictures together,” Johnson said. “She was always pretty calm and happy, she never really got riled up.”
Maybe it was that tranquil mindset that helped Appleton reach the age of 100, but according to her, the secret to reaching the century mark is something most dentists would never recommend.
After pondering the question for a few minutes, Francis came up with her daily sweet treats as the main cause of her living such a long and healthy life.
“Oh, she likes to eat her sweets,” Johnson humorously said. “Doesn’t matter if it’s candy or chocolate, she has a serious sweet tooth.”
A pleasantly delicious surprise from the new centenarian, who wanted nothing more than her family around her — to admire the abundant love and life she helped create. A family tree that has grown countless branches and planted their roots deep into the rich soil of Limestone County.