Jean Gordon
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 12:36 pm
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Sitting comfortably in a lift chair at her modest wood frame home in Union Mills, Rachel Green smiled a lot as her eyes sparkled talking about some of her favorite things.
Sunday, July 6, Mrs. Green celebrated her 108th birthday with her daughter, Mamie Yarborough, 81, who lives with her, and other friends and relatives who offered the warmest of birthday greetings.
Although she reached her Centennial birthday eight years ago, with her appearance, mobility, cognitive spirit, her positive personality, glistening eyes and laughter, no one would guess she's lived 108 years.
Her granddaughter Kim, a nursing student, often stays overnight with Mrs. Green and Mamie and before leaving for school, Kim meticulously braids Mrs. Green's delicate gray hair with two strands on top of her head.
She sees well and although she has hearing aids, she doesn't always wear them and actually hears remarkably well.
At age 92 Mrs. Greene had her badder removed due to cancer, the only serious health issue she has ever had.
"She took care of all that herself, until a few years ago," daughter Mamie said.
While Mamie sat in the living area her mother, Mrs. Green answered most questions, but occasionally asked Mamie for a reminder about her choices of television programs and favorite presidents.
"I love to look at TV," she said and watches Rev. Gilbert Patterson (passed away years ago) regularly as his sermons are still broadcast.
Among her favorite presidents, Barack Obama and the late John Kennedy.
Mamie is one of three children born to Mrs. Green and her husband William A. Green who were married in 1939. The couple moved to Spartanburg, SC for a while, but after Mr. Green passed away just 10 years after the marriage, Mrs. Green and her children ages, 5, 8 and 9, moved back to North Carolina to live with her father in Union Mills. She bought her own home in 1956, and lives there today.
Life certainly wasn't easy for a young widow with three children under age nine.
"I didn't complain," she said. "I just worked and took care of the children."
Mamie said her father's sisters helped the family, often bringing them the latest brands of clothes, something they had never owned before. Mrs. Green would alter the clothes to perfectly fit her children if necessary.
Mrs. Green is affectionately and appropriately known as "Mother" to her children, 10 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 20 great-great-grandchildren, one great-great-great-grandchild, most of her nieces and nephews, and many friends as well. Mrs. Green was the 10th child of 14 children.
Son Larry Green, passed away at age 72, after a bout with cancer. He was in the military and served in Vietnam.
Daughter Emma and her family live in Maryland. Outside of Union Mills, Durham, Spartanburg and Maryland, Mrs. Green hasn't traveled far from Rutherford County.
She often drove herself to Durham to see Mamie and only at age 96, did she stop driving.
"I turned my license in," she believes she could have passed the test.
Mrs. Green loved to cook and her public jobs all involved cooking and she cooked for family.
For a while she worked as the cook at the Rutherford County Jail under Sheriff Damon Huskey's administration and before that cooked the meals at the Alexander orphanage just a few miles from her home. She said she would cook breakfast for the children at Alexander and return home to make breakfast for her children. The routine would be the same for lunch and supper meals.
Mrs. Green later worked for the "Tanners" but not at the dress factory, she quickly clarified.
She worked for the late Jimmy and Ellen Tanner, taking care of their home, cooking and the couple's children and the youngest son Pell.
"Pell was my baby," she smiled. Mamie added he often called her "grandmother" and still visits.
Mrs. Green later worked for other Rutherfordton families.
Mrs. Green was educated first at Piney Ridge School in Union Mills and then at New Hope School in Rutherfordton. The school later became the Piney Ridge CME Church where she is the oldest living member. She held numerous positions at the church and also with the Eastern Star.
"When we were children you had to be ready to go to church," Mamie said. "You had to go."
Though Mrs. Green does not cook anymore and Mamie doesn't like cooking, still cooks her mother's favorite foods - corn bread, Great Northern beans, chicken and pork chops. Neither eat beef.
Mamie recalled watching her mother killing chickens at the house.
"She could 'wring' a chicken's neck," she said.
She has always demonstrated her love for cooking by sharing her recipes. Her favorite recipe is a cake, which has become known as "Mother's Pound Cake."
Mrs. Green taught her children, "If a task is begun, never leave it undone" which is a quote attributed to Quincy Jones. "Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all," said Mamie.
She also instilled in her children, "We were just as good as everybody else," Mamie recalled, and she taught us "to never allow anyone to mistreat us."
"At the age of 108, she continues to amaze all those who know her by taking care of her personal needs with minimal assistance from her caregivers," Mamie added.
Mamie left Union Mills after graduating from Carver High School and attended Durham College. After graduation, she went to work for the UNC University system, serving as the administrative assistant to three university presidents, William C. Friday, C.D. Spangler and Molly Corbett Broad. Although she has a home in Durham (where her son lives) she is in Union Mills the majority of the time, returning occasionally, when another family member is in Union Mills.
The real secret to Mrs. Green's long life is "Jesus" she said. She reads her Bible daily. When asked her favorite verse she quietly and sincerely repeated her favorite verse, "The Lord is my shepherd" she began, quoting the entire Psalm 23.
"I am on Jesus' side." she said.