Automobiles were new to the world and the Marion County Courthouse had only been completed a few years before A.Z. Toney was born in Foxworth on July 28, 1912.
Toney’s friends and family are set to gather Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. at Duckworth Park to celebrate his 106th birthday. The event will take place in the Community Center.
Toney, the son of the late Hugh and Cynthia Toney, told The Columbian-Progress last year that he still feels good for his age. Family members say he is still sharp.
“I’m doing pretty well,” he said. “I don’t really have any aches and pains. My knee hurts sometimes but not too bad.”
Toney was the second youngest of five children and attended school in Foxworth and Lampton. He spent his first decade in Foxworth and then moved to the east side of the Pearl River. He now lives in Columbia.
Toney served in World War II and then worked for several decades at Orleans Furniture. He had five children, four girls and a son, who died shortly after birth. His wife, Gertrude, worked for Head Start as a teacher. He now has 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Toney offered a bit of advice for those seeking the longevity he has enjoyed.
“Don’t use alcohol or drugs,” he said. “Do right. Treat your parents right and God will bless you to live longer. Eat well, too. I like bananas and red apples. I lived a long time on account of I treated my parents right.”
Pictured Above: A.Z. Toney of Columbia will celebrate his 106th birthday on Saturday at Duckworth Park. | Photo by Mark Rogers
