Cecelia Flanagan Marks 100th Birthday July 4

Celebrating Cecelia Flanagan's 100th birthday are (from left) Kathleen Hoppenrath, Mrs. Flanagan, and Jeannette Doud. (Photograph courtesy of the Flanagan family)

Cecelia (nee Donnelly) Flanagan, with her daughter Kathleen Hoppenrath, and a lifelong friend, Jeannette Doud of Mackinac Island, celebrated Mrs. Flanagan's 100th birthday Wednesday, July 4, 2007, at Mackinac Straits Hospital Long Term Care unit in St. Ignace.

She was born July 4, 1907, on Mackinac Island, where she lived for all of her life, before moving to Mackinac Straits Long Term Care in September 2006.

As a young woman, she left the Island for a short time while she earned a Life Certificate in Teaching, the equivalent to today's master's degree, at the Detroit Normal Teachers College, which later became Wayne State University. She began her teaching career in Centerline near Detroit before returning to Mackinac Island, where she taught at Mackinac Island Public Schools.

She married James D. "Dun" Flanagan in 1937. They have one daughter, Kathleen.

Mr. Flanagan passed away in August 1967.

Mrs. Flanagan enjoys watching activity outside her window, attending church services, and visiting with family and friends.