A Century Plus One: Reba Jordan Celebrates 101st Birthday in Style
Friends and family gathered recently to honor and celebrate 101 years of life for Belleview’s Reba Jordan. Hampton Manor in Belleview hosted the birthday party, which featured balloons, patriotic music, and cake.
A veteran of the United States Military, Reba Jordan has two children, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Turning 100 is a rare milestone. A person who is 100 or more years old is called a “centenarian”. According to Boston University, only about one in every 5,000 people in the United States reaches 100 years old. Of those who do, 85% are women. In 2021, with a US population of approximately 336,997,624, there were 89,739 centenarians, making up just 0.27% of the population. At that time, Florida had the second highest number of centenarians, with 5,113 residents aged 100 or more, surpassed only by New York, which had 5,780.
Living beyond 100 is even rarer. The number of supercentenarians—those aged 110 and older—is significantly smaller. As of 2021, there were only about 100 verified supercentenarians worldwide. The chances of living to 110 are about one in seven million. Additionally, studies have shown that genetics play a crucial role in reaching those high ages, with many centenarians having a family history of longevity.
Reba’s journey to 101 is truly remarkable, giving her unique place among a small and special group of centenarians in the country. Her life is a testament to resilience, longevity, and the rich experiences that come with a century of living.
To put her remarkable life into perspective, consider what the United States was like in 1923, the year Reba was born:
• Population and Life Expectancy: The US population was about 111 million, compared to over 330 million today. Life expectancy was significantly lower, averaging 56 years for men and 58 years for women.
• Economy: The average annual income was around $1,500. A new car cost about $500, and a gallon of gas was 22 cents. The minimum wage was not yet established, and the Great Depression was still six years away.
• Technology: Radio was the cutting-edge technology of the day. The first transcontinental radio broadcast occurred in 1923. Television was in its infancy, with the first experimental broadcasts happening in the late 1920s.
• Society and Culture: Women had just gained the right to vote three years earlier in 1920, following the 19th Amendment. The roaring twenties were in full swing, marked by jazz music, flapper fashion, and Prohibition, which banned the sale of alcohol.
• Transportation: The Model T Ford was the most popular car, and the first nonstop transcontinental flight across the United States was completed by Army Air Service pilots in 1923.
• Healthcare: Penicillin had not yet been discovered, and antibiotics were not available. Many diseases that are now preventable or treatable, such as polio and tuberculosis, were common and often deadly.
