Sweet 100

Jet, April 15, 2002

Mrs. Julia A. Tate recently celebrated a century of life surrounded by her loving family at her 100th birthday bash at the View in Philadelphia. Born on Valentine's Day in 1902 in Westmoreland County, VA, Mrs. Tate attended Montross Public Schools and dedicated her life to Jesus Christ at an early age.

In 1921 she married the late Fred Albert Tate and was blessed with 21 children, 69 grandchildren, 219 great-grandchildren and 118 great-great-grandchildren. Mrs. Tate migrated to Philadelphia in 1956 after her husband's death and now lives in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia. The matriarch and historian of her five-generation family, Mrs. Tate attributes her good health and longevity to "God's good graces" and the fact that she never smoked or drank.