Central Gardens resident Lois McKuin celebrated her 100th birthday on Wednesday, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic it was done in a unique way.
Central Gardens, like a lot of facilities right now, is locked down. Family and friends could not enter to celebrate with her. They needed a way to tell her happy birthday.
About 40 of McKuin's family and friends, as well as members of the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department, Dexter Police and Fire departments and the Stoddard County Ambulance District gave her a parade.
As McKuin sat inside the front lobby of the facility looking out of the window, vehicles drove by the facility. All of the emergency vehicles had their lights on and sirens activated while family and friends had balloons and signs on their vehicles. The vehicles made two laps around the building.
After the parade McKuin's family waved at her and spoke to her through the window.
“Grandma asked what the parade was for; her eyes lit up when I told her it was all for her 100th birthday,” McKuin's granddaughter, Vicky Pickrell Perry, said via social media to the Dexter Statesman. “Grandma was never one who wanted a big fuss to be made over her, but I could tell her heart was touched by everyone showing up to celebrate her special day.”
It was Perry who came up with the idea of involving emergency personnel in the parade. Perry explained that she called the Dexter Fire Department. The fire department agreed to the idea and in turn contacted the other departments.
“Originally my Aunt Kathy, she had planned a large party for grandma and the residents,” said Perry. “She had a band hired and everything, but with this coronavirus, that had to be canceled and something else put together quickly.”
Perry indicated that McKuin did not know what was going to happen.
“She doesn't know. She knows she is sitting up there like a queen,” said Perry. “She knows something is happening but she is not quite sure exactly.”
McKuin sat at the front window wearing a sash with the wording “100th Birthday” and a tiara with the number 100 on it. From her front row seat she watched the parade.
According to Perry, McKuin questioned the staff at Central Gardens about the parade.
“Is all of this for me?” McKuin asked the staff. “I am 100, you know.”
Perry said McKuin asked the staff if she could ride on the fire truck, which unfortunately she could not do under the circumstances.
McKuin is a lifelong resident of Bernie and member of the Bernie Church of Christ. She has four children, eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She was married to her husband Archie McKuin for 63 years.
McKuin owned a dress shop in Dexter for many years called Lois' Dress Shop.
“I think that is pretty neat,” said Perry, “because back then, quite honestly, women didn't own a lot of their own businesses.
“It is not often you can say you knew your great-great grandmother,” said Perry. “Much less your great-great grandmother that is 100 years old.”