Mary Lackey is turning 100

By ANGELA FARR KING

Mary Lackey is the epitome of a Proverbs 31 woman. This chapter in the Bible is known for listing the characteristics of a virtuous woman. Proverbs 31:28 states, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.” When meeting Mrs. Mary Lackey and her daughter, Brenda, in person, it was clear that Mary’s family, church, and community have been blessed by her and they intend to celebrate a huge milestone that is just around the corner for her.

Mary Lackey, of Hiddenite, will turn 100 years old on September 14, 2025, and she still has a wonderful sense of humor, a twinkle in her eye, and an infectious laugh.

Mary was born in Iredell County in 1925 to Edward Franklin and Nannie Mae Mason at their home. Mary said her grandmother was the one who helped birth all of the babies. She said that on the day of her birth there was an unusual September snow storm. Her mother told her brother, Ralph, to go get her grandmother because the baby was coming. Ralph couldn’t get the gate open due to the snow. His mother told him he had no choice. He would have to dig it out. Mary said that by the time Ralph dug the gate out of the snow and got his grandmother back to their house, she had already been born.

Mary was one of nine children, seven girls and two boys. Her mother tragically died while birthing her last child when Mary was only two years old. Mary said, “ My grandmother took over a lot when mama died.”

When asked what it was like to grow up during the Great Depression, Mary responded by saying, “We were always in the Depression.” She said this lightheartedly, but meant that her family was always poor so they didn’t know any difference during the Depression years. Her father farmed cotton and they were resourceful, like many families of their generation. They raised all of their own vegetables and chickens for meat and eggs. Mary has memories of wringing their necks to prepare them for meals.

They also raised their own beef and pork or bought it from neighbors. Mary said going to the store for coffee and sugar was rare. The family had no running water, so her father dug a well on their farm. They used a spring as a refrigerator and kept their milk and other cold items in the spring to keep them fresh. Mary said it was a difficult walk down a large hill to the spring and back up again so her father built a “resting place,” a small bench for them to sit on half way between the spring and the house.

Mary remembers when the family first got electricity because after that, there was no need to walk to the spring. They were able to refrigerate their milk. She also remembers the first telephone, which was a four party line.

In 1946, Mary married Milford Allen Lackey. They had been sweethearts while Milford served in WWII and they wrote letters back and forth. At first, Mary said they lived with her father and they were tobacco farmers.

In 1961, the Lackeys purchased land in Alexander County and started the successful M.A. Lackey Plumbing Company. They eventually built the house, with the help of her father-in-law, where Mary still lives today. They had three children: Brenda Sue Lackey Sherrill, Tony Edwin Lackey, and Ronnie Lynn Lackey, and they had six grandchildren. All three of their children live within walking distance of Mary’s house today. Milford passed away in 1991.

Mary was a working mother. She answered the phone, paid the bills, and ordered equipment for the plumbing business, while raising her three children. She was also a very talented baker. She enjoyed showing love to her family by making them personalized cakes to celebrate special occasions. She has made skateboard cakes, guitar cakes, Santa cakes, car cakes, heart cakes, and American Flag cakes. It’s a tradition that has been captured in photographs, which will be displayed on a special board at her 100th birthday celebration.

Mary has been a long time active member of Pisgah Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. There is a picture of her in her home going down a slide at Bible School as a senior adult with her arms high up in the air. It is obvious that Mary has made the most out of the 100 years she has been given on this Earth and that those who know her have been blessed to have her in their lives.