Friday, September 13, 2024
When it comes to celebrating a century of life, sometimes one party just won’t cut it — especially for Granbury’s beloved Margie “Memaw” Molina.
The centenarian recently celebrated her 100th birthday with two parties: one at Miyako’s Japanese Hibachi Restaurant and Sushi Bar Saturday, Aug. 10, and another at Farina’s Winery & Cafe Sunday, Aug. 11.
Several friends and relatives came to honor the birthday girl, with eight family members traveling all the way from Canada to celebrate in the festivities.
Margie was also presented with a pendant from Dave Wolfenbarger of Dave’s Jewelry — a special present that he made himself.
“How very blessed I am,” the 100-year-old said, commenting on her celebrations.
Margie, who was born Aug. 11, 1924 in Lamar County near Paris, is the youngest of five children born to John and Maggie Cunningham. She was raised on a farm where she picked cotton and attended a small country school. Her Mama was the guiding force in her and her sibling’s lives, but their Daddy was the “soft touch.” Everyone pitched in on their farm and they all traveled to school and town by a wagon drawn by two mules: Slim and Ader.
At 17, Margie moved to Mineral Wells to live with her older sister, Elma, where she began working as a waitress. It was here she met Arthur Molina, an Army soldier, who was stationed at Camp Wolters. As their bond quickly deepened, Arthur was shipped out to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was trained to be a paratrooper. Their romance blossomed through letters during his deployment, leading to their marriage in Tucson, Arizona, March 6, 1944. Their first child, Brandy, was born Dec. 15 that year, and their son arrived in 1946.
The Molina family’s journey took them from Los Angeles back to Texas, where Arthur pursued his education at North Texas College. Settling in Fort Worth, Margie embraced her role as a homemaker and mother, sewing dance costumes by hand for Brandy’s recitals. Her passion for beauty and style led her to the Fort Worth Beauty School, where she became a licensed cosmetologist and later an esteemed color consultant four Roux Hair Color.
“She could work on the stage with a model dressed in a floor length gown and high heels on,” her daughter, Brandy recalled. “I never saw her get a drop of color on her.”
Margie’s vibrant spirit extended beyond her professional life. She shared her love for dance — whether it was jitterbug, Charleston or polka — bringing joy to her family through lively gatherings.
“Everybody loved to dance in the family and everyone learned to play a violin or guitar,” Brandy said. “(Margie) believes that singing and dancing is one of the wonders of keeping her where she is at 100 years old.”
Margie’s devotion to family deepened as she and Arthur became beloved Memaw and Pawpee to their grandchildren, playing pivotal roles in their lives.
“Memaw and Pawpee were a major part of both their grandchildren’s raising. They were always there to help and to steer them in the best direction,” Brandy said.
Memaw’s influence continued through the decades, managing several beauty salons in Fort Worth and remaining actively involved in her grandchildren’s upbringing. Despite the heartbreak of losing Pawpee in 1986, she faced the future with strength and continued to be a cornerstone of her family.
“Memaw is the matriarch of our family,” Brandy said. “She has been with us all through the good days and the bad days, always listening to our troubles and offering some words of wisdom.”
Her later years were marked by her unyielding spirit and dedication to her profession until her retirement in 2017 at the age of 93. Even then, Memaw remained an integral part of her great-great-grandchildren’s lives — a testament to her enduring vitality and love.
“There are so many memories of Memaw on her knees playing with her great-great-grandkids (GGGs),” Brandy said. “She has four GGGs in Granbury and two GGGs in Canada. She is surrounded with lots of people, young and old and in-between, who love her and respect her.”
With her favorite colors being blue, purple, red and orange, Memaw’s vibrant personality mirrors the hues of her life’s journey. Her unwavering faith and love for family have been the cornerstones of her century-long adventure.
“She used to say that she would do ‘so-and-so' if she lived to be a hundred years old,” Brandy recalled. “I recently asked her if she had kept a list!”
As the community celebrates this remarkable centenarian, Margie “Memaw” Molina stands as a living legacy of grace, resilience and boundless love.
“Her faith in God and her love of family are the most beautiful attributes in a woman who has known great success and great love along with grief,” Brandy added. “Her most amazing days are simply innumerable. They are also still ahead.”
