Louise Morgan celebrates landmark birthday in style

Louise Morgan celebrated a milestone that few hope to attain on Wednesday afternoon — her 100th birthday.

Born on Jan. 20, 1926, in Burke County, she has lived through the Great Depression, World War II, and every other chapter of American history occurring over the last 10 decades.

Louise’s milestone birthday was celebrated with a gathering of several dozen family and friends at the Teachers’ Cottage of the Old Rock School in downtown Valdese.

Louise’s partner for much of her life’s journey was her husband, Ernest M. Morgan, who died in 2008.

She and Ernie, as she called him, spent more than two decades teaching in schools for the children of U.S. military personnel in Morocco, Germany, and Spain.

Louise harkened back to those years at her party when she told me, “Americans are so very spoiled. They simply do not know what real poverty and hardship are all about.”

She and Ernie’s only son, the late Ernest W. Morgan, taught in the Burke County Public Schools for more than 20 years, with most of that time spent at Morganton Junior High.

I first met Louise in the spring of 1980 when I was a young whippersnapper covering politics and county government for The News Herald. Her husband was running for county commissioner and our paths crossed frequently at campaign events.

When Ernie was elected to a 4-year term on the commissioners, I saw her even more, and she graciously invited my first wife and me to dinner at their comfortable home at the base of Table Rock several times.

Louise in 1980 was much as Louise is in 2026 — feisty, opinionated, and with an absolutely warm nature and loving heart.

As she looked around the crowded room at all those who attended her birthday celebration, she exclaimed, “I can’t believe you all are here. You mean the world to me!”

After blowing out the candles on not one, but two birthday cakes, she settled back in her wheelchair like a queen on her throne as each friend and relative came by for a hug and words of wisdom.

Noting that not many folks make it to 100, I asked Louise what recommendation she could offer to the rest of us.

Without hesitation she said, “Keep your mind sharp. You gotta exercise your brain.”

And, as she pushes past 100 into her second century, Louise said she intends to do just that.

“You’ve got to think,” she said. “You’ve just got to keep thinking.”

— BP