Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A very special early birthday party was held Thursday, April 17 in Clarksville. Miss Jennie Beatrice Burton Ramey, known to her friends and family as “Mama Jennie” will celebrate 110 years on Saturday, April 19.

Miss Ramey was surrounded by many of those family and friends as well as some of her neighbors at her home on Stacker Street as they stopped by to wish her well and join in a chorus of happy birthday and enjoy a piece of birthday cake.

After singing happy birthday there was applause from a couple of dozen people attending the party and Miss Ramey clapped right along with everyone else. There were three candles on the cake making up the number 110 which was placed on her lap as she sat in a recliner. Her great-great grandson Tayshan blew out the candles for her.

Miss Ramey was married to the late Raymond Ramey and the couple had 7 children, 19 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great-grandchildren. One of her sons, 88-year-old Rufus Ramey, talked about his mother. “When I was coming up she was a good mom but you had to stay straight,” Ramey said.

Anita Wyatt, a Registered Nurse Case Manager with AseraCare Hospice of Clarksville said their agency has been taking of Miss Jennie for several months. “She is a delight, she is just precious, and we certainly enjoy the opportunity to serve her and her family,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt added that Miss Jennie has a lot of stories to tell and AseraCare has been doing everything they can to give her the highest quality of life possible during this journey that she is on.

Tennessee State senator Mark Green recently visited Miss Jennie and presented her with a Proclamation from the State Senate, State Representatives Joe Pitts, Curtis Johnson and John Tidwell and the entire Tennessee General Assembly.

The Proclamation stated how Mrs. Ramey was a native of Clarksville and a lifelong believer in helping others towards the betterment of her community as well as providing a strong example of dedication. It also stated that during the Korean War, Miss Jennie opened her home to military families in need of housing.

A number of local businesses donated their time and effort to the birthday celebration. Along with AseraCare, donations came from George the Cake Guy, Four Seasons Florist, Party Rockers,Transformations Hair Salon and American Flowergift.

See video and photos from the celebration below: