It’s not very often one can say they’ve lived to be 100. MLP resident Kay Burley can do centenarians better than that- Four better in fact. 

Burley celebrated her 104th birthday at the west Picton assisted living and retirement home on Friday. Burley, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Cressy when she was five-years-old and went to school there.

“I grew up in Cressy and was born in sweet Norfolk, Virginia.” Burley told the Gazette. “I went to school in Cressy and I had a good time with all the kids.”

Growing up in Prince Edward County, Burley experienced and still experiences the love and kindness people share and notes how many local families from her younger years are still around and going strong.

“My memories of Prince Edward County are how loving and kind the people are and most of all I love all the folks and all the good things they do for others to help out,” Burley stated. “There’s also a lot of families in Prince Edward County and they stick together and they don’t run away like some other places where all the locals disappeared but Prince Edward County you can’t say that.”

When asked about the secret to long life Burley expressed it’s not easy but very difficult and the choice is yours to either accept it or fight against it.

“If I knew the secret to long life, I never would have to worry about buying a candy bar,” expressed Burley. “No, it’s what God did for me and I accept it. It isn’t easy, it’s very difficult. But as I say, you either accept it or fight against it and which do you want to do? I said ‘Okay baby here we go another year’.”