Longtime Marietta resident Lea Parker celebrated her 90th birthday on Aug. 17. Born and raised in Biddeford, Maine, she remembers arriving by train at the Marietta Depot to join her husband, Bill, and being welcomed by several local merchants including Dempsy Medford and Johnny Walker.

Initially the Parkers lived in the Kennesaw House and operated WW Mac’s, a 5&10 store located on the Marietta Square, now a dance studio. Among Lea’s fondest memories includes earning her pilot’s license before her driver’s license. She also volunteered with the Red Cross Blood drives for 12 years, worked with the Keith School PTA and was a member of the Iris Garden Club. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Marietta.

Lea celebrated with her family including her son, grandson, granddaughter and three greatgrandchildren.

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On Aug. 5, Leona Wolleson celebrated her 92nd birthday. She is the co-founder and chair of the original Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia Ambassadors that eventually evolved into the BCBS retirees association (one of the first in the country and continuing as the only one existing within the entire BCBSD, WellPoint, one of largest health care insurance systems nationwide).

As a prelude to her birthday weekend, Wolleson was honored for her work by president of BCBSGa, Morgan Kenrick, and president of Well Point, Angela Braly, at the 75 years celebration at the Intercontinental Hotel on July 31.

A special write-up was included in the BCBS anniversary newsletter about Wolleson’s 31 years of service (the oldest person to ever retire within the BCBSGa system at the young age of 85).

On Sunday, family and friends gathered for the annual island-themed birthday celebration at her home with local attendees Eleanor Agers, Robin and Chase Clements, Mary Louise Hammond, Dot Revis, Jenny Roberts. Out-of-town attendees included Bonnie and Vernon Langford of St. Simon’s Island (Leona’s daughter and son-in-law); granddaughter Mendie Langford of Woodstock; grandson Scott Langford, formerly of Douglasville with his daughter, Kristen of Roanoke, Ala.; granddaughter Terri Langford Martin with her husband, Pat, and children, Emily and James, all of Clarksville, Tenn.; and son, Woody Wollesen, formerly of Dickerson, Md., currently relocating in retirement to Georgia.

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Happy birthday to Bessie Gertrude Stephens Newton who celebrated a milestone at 100 years old on Aug. 15.

She has been a member of Sandy Plains Baptist Church at 2825 Sandy Plains Road for 88 years and lived with her niece, Trudy Kelly for many years.



Sally Litchfield is a longtime Marietta resident. She formerly practiced law in Marietta and now stays home to raise her two children. Send Sally news at sallylit@bellsouth.net. Call Sally at (770) 425-8106.