102nd Birthday Just As Special As Others

Birthdays are special when we are young then they become less special as we get older. But at some point when we have lived a long and eventful life, birthdays become special again.

Thursday was Alclair Pleasant's 102nd birthday, her family and friends got together to have a little party at Heartland Plaza and News On 6 reporter Rick Wells got an invite too.

Pleasant was born on May 1st, 1906. Her great grandmother was brought to Texas as a slave before the civil war, when she was granted her freedom the family settled in what is now Corpus Christi, Texas.

There was no catholic church for African-Americans in Corpus Christi when she was young when one finally came she wanted to join it.

"We were members of the congregational church, but when they brought this catholic church there we children wanted to join it. We didn't know anything about the catholic church, but it was something new," said Pleasant.

Over time she convinced the rest of the family to join too and after many years of service to her church she was awarded a special medal from the Pope.

"I was told by a priest that was the highest award anybody in the church can receive," said Pleasant.

She holds bachelors and a master's degree from Prairie View A&M University. She taught school in Corpus Christi for almost 40 years.

Pleasant is full of wonderful stories, especially one her mother told her about the day she was born.

Her father was a member of the community band. He had the band serenade her.

"He said the name of the first piece was, ‘You're as welcome as the flowers in May and we love you in the same old way. We've been waiting for you day-by-day. You're as welcome as the flowers in May,'" said Pleasant.

When Pleasant was in her 80s she took up bowling. She bowled in two leagues and has a trophy for once bowling her age. She says she really misses that bowling.