On the first Sunday in March, Mother Leola Washington sat in her designated front row seat at Union Tabernacle Church for Sunday School – one day shy of her 108th birthday.
A native of Little Rock, Ark., Washington was already technically a senior citizen when she arrived in St. Louis back in 1954.
With her limited mobility and diminished vision, the fact that she gets up bright and early for the 8:55 a.m. class each week is no small feat.
Mother Washington is full of surprises. Behind her dark glasses and blanket to keep her frail body warm sat a woman with the fervor of a newly ordained minister.
“Amen,” a voice said, as the lesson began with a heavy Southern accent that seemed to come from beneath the pews. It was Mother Washington.
“That’s the problem, we do what we want to do,” Washington said, offering insight to the Sunday school message of obedience to God’s word. “But then something hits us upside the head and turns us around.”
Her active participation and holy outbursts were as much a part of the service as the lessons themselves – often met by public praise. “That’s right, you tell ‘em, Mama,” members said, one after another, during the hour-long session.
When service ended, members came up to great Mother Washington in the same fashion traditionally offered to the pastor following the sermon.
“Hey baby, how’s your husband doing?” Washington asked a young woman who came up to greet her.
“He’s fine, thank you and God bless you,” the woman responded. “You know, I think about you all the time.”
Her days are very short, with most of her time devoted to sleep and rest. But judging from the energy she offers during worship, she cherishes her time of praise and fellowship and is grateful for a loving church family.
“Mentally, she’s sharp, she’s very vivid for her age,” said Dr. Wit Jamry, Washington’s primary care physician. “She always recognizes my voice and says, ‘Thank you for taking such good care of me.’”
Jamry believes that Washington will join the 720 people living around the world who are 110 years or older.
At her party the following day, she was among the most alert and aware residents of the Garrison Center festivities in her honor.
With her pastor Rev. Lewis T. Shelton by her side, Washington sat quietly and ate as she was serenaded in song and even by accordion, courtesy of Jamry.
Employees sang solos of “Amazing Grace” and “A Tisket, A Tasket,” and church members sang “How Great Thou Art.” But Mother Washington stole the show after being overcome with the need to express herself.
“I want to say something,” Washington said suddenly, in the middle of the partying and chatter, with command in her voice.
As the crowd fell silent, her message was one of gratitude to friends, family and mostly God.
“I didn’t know I had friends like this,” Washington said. “I am just so thankful that you all are honoring me for being a senior citizen. I thank God for allowing me to live this long, because it wasn’t nobody but Him that did it.”
Washington’s special day culminated with the presentation of gifts that ranged from chewing gum to a decorative scarf and church hat and included a Proclamation from the City of St. Louis.
“Y’all don’t know how much all of this means to me,” Washington said. “I just didn’t know I had all of this love from all of these people.”
She has no biological children, but several of her “adopted” sons and daughters were on hand to help her celebrate.
Immediately following her party, the excitement left Mother Washington drained. She went to her room – which she shares with a 99-year-old – to rest.
Jamry said, “She is always talking about church and how happy she is that God blessed her to live this long.”
