Catherine Bailey celebrated her 100th birthday on April 12 with more than 150 family members, employees and other residents of Vicksburg Convalescent Home. She was born in Utica in 1912 to Robert and Dessie Thomas Milton and is the only surviving member of their 10 children.

In 1931, she married Sam Bailey Sr. and was a homemaker. Six of their 11 children are living: Robert Bailey and Lohana Shields, both of New Orleans; Edward Bailey, Hannah O’Connor and Annie Willis, all of Utica; and Harry Bailey of Vicksburg. She helped raise eight of her 28 grandchildren. She has 32 great-grandchildren and numerous other generations of grandchildren.

She has been a mother of her church, Mount Belmont in Utica, for more than 62 years and its pastor visits her regularly.

She also enjoys cooking, gardening, caring for others and talking on the telephone.