103-Year-Old Rockford Democrat Casts Ballot

[bigtree]

Oct 23, 2008 07:23 PM



ROCKFORD -

Beatrice Taylor sat down with 13 News exclusively. She told us, "I been voting ever since I was 20 years old." Beatrice is now is 103 years old.

A lot has changed since her first time at the voting booth, way back in 1923 when Calvin Coolidge became president. "I started out being a Republican but after I learned better I'm a Democrat.

Sitting inside her Rockford home that she's lived in for 59 years, Beatrice has a lot to look back on. Three daughters. "My twins, my babies, are 82." Two husbands. "I was with my first love 17 years, 6 months and 28 days." And more grandchildren from five generations than she can even count. "After the third I don't really bother with it."

Her memory isn't what it once was, but Beatrice recalls historical periods like the civil rights movement. It began when she hit the not so ripe age of 50. "It was just a lot of mess, there wasn't anything right."

As Beatrice leaves her home to vote, it's that memory that makes this election so very special. She'll see something she thought she'd never live to see: an African American presidential candidate on the ballot. "Just as much right for him to be there as anybody else."

Beatrice is prepared to help make history. The voting process might have changed a bit through all the years, but she doesn't think her age-old story is anything worth fussing about. At the election office, others would disagree. The room of voters gave her an ovation as she left the building.

If you ask Beatrice about her favorite president, she says Bill Clinton was "especially all right to her eyesight."


read: http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9230826&nav=menu1362_2_1

[Faygo Kid]

1. Bless her heart. Yes We Can.

Sounds like a wonderful woman. Still lovely after all these years. Love the hat!

[bigtree]

4. .

:kick:

[OnwardandForward]

2. i was there!

i was leaving as the camera crews set up! i didn't realize what and the hell was going on!

[bigtree]

3. ha!

history

[Forkboy]

5. You go Beatrice!

And she looks awesome for 103!