Elizabeth Haupt’s family arranged a “drive-by” birthday party to celebrate her 103rd birthday on Friday July 31.
They made Ms Haupt comfortable outside her home and set up a table with her birthday cake and flowers, as well as a table filled with take-away cake boxes for those who came to share their birthday wishes for her.
Herdaughter, Patti Hassen, said she was grateful that they could celebrate her mother’s birthday under the circumstances and that the weather had played along.
“I look at my mother, and I cannot believe how amazing she is. She is so in control. When we explained to her why she could not see her family during this time, she said this is her third pandemic she has lived through. She spoke of the smallpox and the Spanish flu.”
Ms Hassen described her mother as a spiritual and prayerful person who loves being around her great-grandchildren.
Ma Haupt has no chronic illnesses, but her hearing is poor and her memory fails her at times.
Her son, Andrew Haupt, said his mother had cleaned their church since she had been a “young woman”.
“Come rain or shine, she would be there. She was very active. She used to walk the 3km to church. She never had a car. My mother was always praying for her children, and I believe it is because of her prayers that I was able to recover 100% after undergoing bypass surgery,” Mr Haupt said.
Elizabeth Damon, named after her mother, came all the way from George to attend the drive-by party.
“My mother’s legacy must continue. She has a heart for the underprivileged. She also never wasted anything, and she passed those qualities on to her children. I am so grateful that my husband could drive me from George to be here. I am asthmatic and have been keeping indoors because of the pandemic, but I am so glad to share this day with my mother,” Ms Damon said.
Ms Haupt described her day as “the most wonderful birthday of my life”.
“I’m up there. This is a lovely party – to have all my children here,” she said.