By many standards, her friends know Smith as the funny lady and the one with all the hats, or in that day’s case, a tiara.
‘‘[Her laugh] is very contagious,” Bracket said. ‘‘I wish we had more people like her.”
More than 50 of her friends and family celebrated her 100th birthday a few days early on June 27 at the South Carroll Senior Center in Eldersburg before people would leave for the holiday weekend. It was also the first of several birthday parties Smith had to honor her centenarian status.
The June 27 celebration featured a performance by the tap dance group The Glitterbugs, a presentation by Del. Susan W. Krebs (R–Dist. 9B), and a photo slideshow of her life.
Krebs presented Smith with a proclamation from the House of Delegates for her birthday. Sen. Allan H. Kittleman (R-Dist. 9) also sent a proclamation from the Maryland Senate and Sen. Barbara Milkulski (D) also sent her a proclamation to recognize her birthday.
Commissioner Michael Zimmer (R) had lunch with Smith at the center to congratulate her. The county sends a letter to centenarians to recognize their milestone, he said.
‘‘She has a very warm, generous spirit,” he said.
Just about every day, Smith comes to the senior center, which is right down the street from her house, to exercise and to talk with friends. ‘‘I do it just to get out of the house,” she said.
At first, she didn’t want to come, but she keeps coming to the center to socialize and for good times, said Ella Washington, whose husband, Worthington, is Smith’s cousin.
Smith’s favorite exercise is stretching at the center. ‘‘I tell people watch out [stretching] with your hand because if it hits me, it might hit you back,” she said before she lets out a laugh friends have came to love.
Smith always has a story to share with someone, her friends say. Ella Washington said she shared one of her favorites the other day.
‘‘When her mother would give her a spanking, she would go around crying and singing ‘Nero my God to thee!’” she said. ‘‘Her mother said, ‘That won’t save you, Eleanor!’”
Smith’s key to longevity is keeping active by going camping and committing herself to God by attending South Carroll Church of the Nazerene and other churches to sing gospel music.
Through the years, Smith worked at Westinghouse, a German orphanage, and as a cook at a Catonsville restaurant.
‘‘She’s wonderful and full of life,” Worthington Washington said.
Two of her siblings appear to be full of life, too. She has a 95-year-old brother and a 97-year-old sister. She has persevered and remained active, Worthington Washington said.
With Smith’s jovial personality and active mind, perhaps another 100 years will be in the works for Smith, Bracket wished the birthday girl.
‘‘No, I don’t want another 100 years. Oh, Lord!” Smith said, laughing. ‘‘Oh, no. Another 100 years?”
