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Judy Jeffries, left, claps after the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to Twila Sampson.
Twila Sampson as a child in 1928 at the age of 6.
Twila Sampson and her baby sister, Judy Jeffries who flew in from Tampa, Fla., to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Staff members of Bella Sera prepared the birthday celebration for Twila Sampson.
Snapshots of Twila Sampson's life were collected for a memory board.
Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility went all out for Twila Sampson's 100th birthday.
Twila Sampson with her dear friend and former pastor, Steven Smith, who traveled from San Diego to join the celebration.
Twila Sampson was greeted by the facility's staff members after decorating the dining area with birthday decorations for the centenarian.
Twila Sampson adorned with her 100th birthday sash.
Following the birthday celebration held indoors, the outside of Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility was decorated for a drive by parade for Twila Sampson in honor of her 100th birthday.
Judy Jeffries, left, claps after the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to Twila Sampson.
Twila Sampson as a child in 1928 at the age of 6.
Twila Sampson and her baby sister, Judy Jeffries who flew in from Tampa, Fla., to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Staff members of Bella Sera prepared the birthday celebration for Twila Sampson.
Snapshots of Twila Sampson's life were collected for a memory board.
Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility went all out for Twila Sampson's 100th birthday.
Twila Sampson with her dear friend and former pastor, Steven Smith, who traveled from San Diego to join the celebration.
Twila Sampson was greeted by the facility's staff members after decorating the dining area with birthday decorations for the centenarian.
Twila Sampson adorned with her 100th birthday sash.
Following the birthday celebration held indoors, the outside of Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility was decorated for a drive by parade for Twila Sampson in honor of her 100th birthday.
Twila Dawn (Wolcott) Sampson joined the centenarian club when she celebrated her 100th birthday Thursday morning as a resident of Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility.
Family members, friends, other residents and staff members paid tribute to Sampson by singing her the traditional "Happy Birthday" song during a grand party.
Asked what her favorite, lifetime memory was, Sampson said simply, "This is!"
Born Sept. 1, 1922 in Butler, Penn., Sampson is the second oldest of five children. Her older brother, Jack, just turned 102 last July, and lives on his own and still mows his own lawn at his home in Tampa, Fla.
Judy Jeffries, 81, said she is the baby in the Wolcott family. She flew in from her home in Tampa to join her older sister on the momentous occasion.
"She has had a very, wonderful, charmed, happy, joyous life. She is a positive, upbeat person," Jeffries said during the party. "She has lost a lot of her sparkle in the past, few years, but that's pretty normal."
The dining area was decorated with balloons, streamers, happy birthday signs and old photographs of Sampson which captured her rich life. A video of the snapshots played in the background for the guests to enjoy, and a map of Sampson's life travels was on display near a cake decorated in blue and white frosting.
Sampson first went to work at the age of 15 in New York City, N.Y., for an embroidery company.
Said Jeffries, "(She was) all by herself, riding the subways. She said she was kind of scared. That was her first job of many, many more."
Sampson worked in a dental factory, as a waitress and a dog sitter. While in her 50s, she went to school where she earned a degree in cosmetology.
Said Jeffries, "When she first came to the desert, she worked at the Midway Cafe."
Over her lifetime, Sampson has traveled extensively, said Jeffries, including a trip to Japan while stationed in Guam with her late husband, Jack Sampson. It was while waitressing at the Midway Cafe that she met Jack.
Other memorable trips included fishing excursions to Alaska and apple picking in Tehachapi.
She has resided in Ridgecrest since the mid-1950s, and was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church. In fact, she still attended church services up until the time Covid hit, forcing her to stay inside the nursing home where she has lived since the tender age of 96.
In addition, she was a member of the Eastern Star for over 50 years, and volunteered as a Pink Lady for the hospital.
Said Jeffries, "She has been very active, but then she had some health issues and couldn't live on her own anymore."
Before moving into Bella Sera, Twila was found driving her own car around town.
The former pastor of First Baptist Church, Steven Smith, moved from Ridgecrest to San Diego in 2019. He traveled from home to join Twila during her birthday celebration.
Before moving, Smith said one of his favorite memories was taking Twila around town during the holidays to see the Christmas decorations and lights.
Bella Sera Activities Director Joylene Orong said Twila is currently one of 49 residential patients.
"Her favorite activity is to sit in the hallway and watch the birds during the day," Orong said.
Although she loves to play Bingo, Orong said Twila quit playing because the game didn't go "fast enough for her."
Following the celebration indoors, Twila was treated to a drive by parade outside the facility.