Rices Landing woman marks 100th birthday in grand style
Mattie Beck Morgan was recognized by various organizations during her 100th birthday celebration April 8 at American Legion Post 400 in Carmichaels.
John and Mattie Morgan
Mattie Beck Morgan of Rices Landing celebrated 100 years of what her family calls “love and laughter” on April 8, with friends, longtime neighbors and, of course, her extended family at American Legion Post 400 in Carmichaels.
In an introduction to guests in a pamphlet filled with family stories, anecdotes and tributes, John Morgan Jr., the eldest of Mattie’s five children, wrote, “If you would ask Mom how she was able to accomplish such a feat, we would not be surprised to hear her recount the benefits of good, clean living, taking care of herself as well as her husband and kids, playing golf and maybe a little toddy every now and then to help keep her blood thinned properly.
“Well, maybe not so much the toddy as the clean living, taking care of herself and playing golf.”
Mattie received recognition from Gov. Tom Wolf, the White House and Al Roker of the “Today” show, and presentations were made by the 911 Airlift Wing of Coraopolis; the Air Force Association – Joe Walker Mon Valley Chapter 308; Rices Landing Mayor Ryan Belski; Rices Landing Councilwoman Patricia Ginsburg; and Chief William Kozich of the Rices Landing Fire Department.
Guests included Nate Regotti, chief of staff to state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, and the Greene County commissioners.
Mattie Beck Welborn was born April 8, 1917, in Rhonda, N.C., one of 10 children.
According to her son, Mattie was the name her mother chose in honor of the midwife who delivered her, and her father gave her the middle name Beck in honor of his favorite mule that was used to plow and cultivate the fields.
“Years later, he would complain that she was aptly named, because he considered her to be as stubborn as the ‘old mule he named her after!'” John wrote.
On December 31, 1941, she married John E. Morgan, who became a decorated World War II veteran and retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel, in Colon, Panama, by Judge I.P. Tattle. She did not see her husband again for about four years.
After John’s retirement from the service, the couple lived in Alabama and Florida before moving in 1962 to Rices Landing.
The couple were married for 59 years when John E. Morgan died in October 2001 at age 86.
In addition to John Jr., Mattie has four other children ,David Morgan, Frank Morgan, Martha Nastase and Margaret Hines. She also has 14 grandchildren, 24-great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Since John is the eldest, he said he has seen their mother “in action more than most.”
“I have been chased through the house with a hair brush when she was angered, and I’ve been hugged with glee when she took joy in an accomplishment,” he wrote, “and I have seen the same for four other kids as we grew up together with mom’s guidance.
“She always set the highest standard, no matter if it was simply manners, or her favorite pastime – trying to sink a putt.”
As a military wife, Mattie relied on her inner strength, common sense and her strong belief in God to provide guidance to five “yinguns” growing up, John wrote.
However, the kids did get in a few scraps, especially David, whose mischievousness once resulted in the fire department coming to his rescue.
It was 1958, and the family was living Smyrna, Ga., when 9-year-old David decided that he would crawl into the tub of a broken washing machine in the back yard. Once he crawled in, he discovered that he could not crawl out.
“Wrapped around the wringer in the tub of a washing machine is not the place you want to be, especially if you are alleging that you are having trouble breathing,” John wrote. “We all tried to pull him out, but his head was too big for the hole. We never did figure out how he got in there, but the rescue squad took the washing machine apart to get him free.”
John wasn’t so innocent either. Somehow, when he was 14 years old, he convinced his mother to let him drive the family to church. Martha, David and Margaret were in the back seat, and Frank sat on his mother’s lap in the front seat of the family’s new Dodge station wagon. In the parking lot, he scraped the car’s bumper when he made contact with a Buick.
“I do not know if she ever told dad or not,” John wrote. “Probably not, since I did see my 15th birthday soon afterward.
There were good memories, too. One that Margaret shared involved her mother’s golfing ability.
“I got to witness mom’s uncanny golfing abilities at Greene County Country Club,” she wrote. “I was her caddie. Mom had a touch shot. She was below the hole, unable to even see the flag!
“She pulled out her pitching wedge, gave that ball a whack, and it went out of sight! I walked up to the flag, and you guessed it! Ball in the hole! I felt like I just witnessed golfing history!