CHICAGO (WLS) — There was a 100th birthday celebration Sunday in the Morgan Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
The birthday girl still lives in the same home where she was born.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Katie Wilson celebrated her 100th birthday by doing something she loves, surrounded by her loved ones.
“I feel good,” Wilson said. “I thank God.”
Saturday afternoon, the Chicago woman had the party of the century and marked the occasion with close friends and five generations of her family.
Floyd Johnson, Wilson’s grandson, expressed gratitude for her guidance, love, forgiveness, discipline, and hope, acknowledging that their lives are enriched because of her.
Wilson was born Katie Mae Payne on April 19, 1925 in her grandparents’ Morgan Park home, where she still lives to this day.
Reflecting on the family history, Wilson’s daughter, Patricia Wilson, shared the story of their great-grandparents purchasing two lots over a century ago, one for a house and the other for a beautiful garden filled with flowers.
Married to one of the first Black CTA bus drivers, Katie Wilson and her husband had five children.
As a stay-at-home mom, she volunteered in her neighborhood and become a staple in her community.
Serenaded by one of her granddaughters, Wilson, who loves to sing, returned the favor with a song of her own on Saturday.
Even though she didn’t blow out any candles, the deeply religious woman still made a well earned birthday wish to her family and friends together and safe as she shared one of the many lessons she’s learned about life over the years.
“It was planned before you were born and after you were born, then you work it out with the Lord,” Wilson said.
While Wilson said she’s grateful for her 100 birthdays, Wilson said she knows she’s been blessed with a wonderful life.
“They came to celebrate my 100 years, to show their love, yeah, and I like that,” Wilson said.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
