Zylpha "Doris" Doren recently celebrated her 108th birthday. She was born Aug. 2, 1895, in Edgerton, Ohio, to Adrian Oliver Fusselman and Elnora Eugenia Farnham.
She was selected to attend the European School of Music in New York after her 1916 high school graduation and was a concert pianist for many years. She played to large crowds in Paris and Sydney, Australia.
She also worked for the Wabash Railroad for 31 years, retiring in 1949 in order to marry John Jesse Doren on Aug. 2 that year. They moved to St. Petersburg and traveled extensively around the world before Mr. Doren died in 1960.
Hettie Rucker Saye was born Aug. 24, 1903, to William and Sarah (Fewell) Rucker in Wolfe City, Texas. Shortly after her birth, she and her family moved to Athens, Ga.
The Ruckers were farmers; she and her six siblings worked alongside their parents as they hoed and picked cotton. No stranger to hard work, she began work in a shirt factory at age 12 to augment the family income.
Shortly after the end of World War I, Hettie met Roy Saye, a sergeant who had served in France with the U.S. Army. Roy and Hettie married on June 20, 1920. The Sayes had four children: Virginia DeVore, Evelyn Hawkinson, Edward Saye and Geneva Harling.
The family moved to St. Petersburg in 1943. Mr. Saye died in September 1962.
She is the oldest living charter member of Clearview Baptist Church, St. Petersburg. She has 12 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren and will soon have her first great-great-great grandchild.
We think that living 100 years is worth our taking notice. If you or a family member is about to celebrate a 100th birthday or more, please let us know. Include the following information: the person's full name, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names (including mother's maiden name) if known, name of spouse (if applicable), marriage date, number of children and grandchildren (if applicable), length of time the person has lived in this area and a phone number in case we have questions. Also, please include a photo that doesn't need to be returned. We'll publish the information as close to the birthday as possible. Send the information to 100-year Birthdays, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731-1121 or fax to (727) 893-8675.
