“I never dreamt I’d live to be 100,” Ann McCord said. “I have never really felt old.” She will celebrate becoming a centenarian on Friday, January 30.
McCord moved to Greenbelt in 1950 with her husband Joe and oldest daughter, Ann Louise, when her husband landed a job at the Pentagon. They had a choice of moving to Wheaton or Greenbelt. Her husband’s brother James and family already lived in Greenbelt so it was the obvious choice.
She has lived in the same house for 72 years, which she now shares with two of her daughters.
“I love Greenbelt,” McCord said. “It was a great place to raise children.” She loved being able to walk everywhere. She would walk to what is now known as Roosevelt Center every day, and on Sundays walked to St. Hugh of Grenoble Church, which she still attends regularly.
One of her favorite activities was attending exercise classes, which were as much about her friends there as the exercise.
Changes McCord has seen to Greenbelt are small but noticeable, such as when the bank in the Center moved out and when the post office moved.
A highlight of her year is the Labor Day Festival. She loves music and dancing and going to hear the bands every year. Her favorites are Johnny Seaton aka Elvis, The Nighthawks and especially Granny and the Boys with Alice Donahue, her longtime neighbor and friend.
She plans to celebrate her milestone birthday with her family, as she does every year. Most of the family is in Maryland or Virginia, so family gatherings occur regularly. “My family is really good to me,” McCord said. She has four children, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Her long life is not too surprising ‒ all four of her sisters lived into their 90s. She also had two brothers.
As one of her daughters was taking her home after a doctor’s appointment recently Ann said, “Now I’m walking like an old lady, but I’m not old.”
McCord unknowingly followed today’s advice for staying young: a youthful mindset, a sense of humor, regular exercise, a spiritual life and a connection with people and place.
