Aberdeen Court staff and residents, along with family and friends, hosted a surprise party on March 3 to celebrate resident Hattie Galloway’s 100th birthday.
“It was truly a joyous occasion where Ms. Hattie was poured into and loved by her fellow residents and community,” said Shawna Prince, manager of editorial content and media relations for Catholic Charities of Baltimore , which owns the senior apartment complex.
Galloway has lived in Harford County for two-thirds of her life. Growing up in Ohio as young girl, she remembers walking miles to attend school.
“We went from first grade to seventh grade, and after that you graduated before going to high school from eighth to eleventh grade,”Galloway said. “School didn’t close. It was always open and every day we made it.”
Working while attending school was how Galloway got by in the 1930s, she said. Her first job was at a boarding house.
“I worked hard all of the time,” Galloway said. “My aunt worked there and I helped her wash dishes and wait tables at 12 years old.”
Galloway graduated high school and married her first husband before moving to Tennessee, where they had three children.
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She divorced her first husband and moved to Harford County after marrying a pastor, Rev. Louis Galloway, on Christmas Eve 1948. They were married 54 years until his death in May 2003, according to his obituary.
They adopted a son, Lamar Galloway, when he was 2 weeks old.
After looking back on how far she came in her life, the centenarian said she felt so grateful for the surprise party and everyone she’s met along the way at Aberdeen Court, where she’s lived for 18 years.
“This is my home,” said Galloway. “I’ve had so many friends here. I did not know about everything going on. Getting to this age, I never thought I would get this old. They really showed out for me.”
Aberdeen City Council member Adam Hiob attended the party and presented a city proclamation to Galloway. Proclamations also came from Harford County and the office of Gov. Wes Moore.
In addition to the party, the community threw a parade and her grandson, Marcus Galloway, pastor of Gateway Ministries in Baltimore, dedicated a service to her.
“My heart was overjoyed to see all of the love,” Galloway said. “All of these were a great joy.”