Archive: Around Town

Over a hundred guests helped Marian Wilson celebrate her 100th birthday at Lansing United Methodist Church Sunday afternoon.  She was surrounded by family and friends, who gathered for a hotdog lunch and birthday cake.  Relatives came from Horseheads, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, while many friends came from Lansing.

Born in Hornel in 1907, she had two sisters and two brothers.   When she was first born she wasn't expected to live, but clearly she had other ideas about that!  Her family moved to Elmira, where she lived for most of her life.  She met and married Hillis Wilson, melt foreman for the General Electric foundry there.  They had one son, also named Hillis, who is now a retired engineer who lives in Lansing with his wife Judy and daughter Susie. 


She was married for 42 years.  After her husband passed away in 1978 she continued to live in Elmira until moving to Woodsedge in Lansing about five years ago.  She was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Elmira before coming to Lansing where she joined the Lansing United Methodist Church.  She taught Sunday School for many years in Elmira as a young woman.

It took three cakes to celebrate 100 years, but the family decided to forego candles, joking that they feared 100 candles might set the church on fire.  Marian received over 100 birthday cards.  "That was our goal, to get 100 cards," says son Hillis.  "She exceeded that."


Marian's husband passed away in 1978, and she has survived all her brothers and sisters as well as their children. A nephew's wife and two of her sons came from Ohio, along with a grand grand niece and nephew. Another nephew