South Point – On the morning of April 7, Rena Melvina "Mellie" Lynd will keep her fingers crossed.

Thursday, March 30, 2000

South Point – On the morning of April 7, Rena Melvina "Mellie" Lynd will keep her fingers crossed. This will be the second year the soon-to-be 101-year-old South Point resident has sent her picture to the Today Show. Hopefully, this year will be her year and Willard Scott will wish her a happy birthday.

Born in Brushy, Ky., in 1899, Mrs. Lynd moved to South Point when she was 7 years old and is the oldest living member of her church – Solida Missionary Baptist Church.

She attributes her longevity to a good life and faith.

"The thing that has kept me here this long is the good Lord above," Mrs. Lynd said. "He saved me when I was 13, and he’s kept me ever since."

Mrs. Lynd was baptized at 13 in the former Solida Missionary Church building. During her life, she has seen three other churches constructed.

Born in the late 1800s, one would expect that Mrs. Lynd lived a quiet life at home with her many children.

But not only did Mrs. Lynd take care of the house, she made sure that hundreds of other South Point children were fed during the day and made their way to and from school safe and sound.

Mrs. Lynd worked as a bus driver and cook for the South Point School District for many years.

But that was not the only job she had. Mrs. Lynd also worked in a restaurant, helped her husband in the dairy and worked at the Reliance Dress Factory in Huntington, W.Va.

"It sure was hard work to take care of a family, go outside and work and come home and cook again," she said. "There was no babysitter. They took care of themselves."

Despite all the hard work, Mrs. Lynd is living the good life and has many wonderful memories of the years gone by.

"I’ve got some good memories," she said. "My family for one, my church and my school."

Mrs. Lynd wishes others a life as long and as full as hers. It’s easy when you follow her advice for eternal youth.

"The main thing is start out to live right and serve the Lord and he’ll take care of you," she said. "You can’t start out with a wild life and have a good life. I try to help people and be good to people and try to win people to Christ."

This year, Mrs. Lynd plans to have a quiet evening at home in celebration of her birthday.

Cards and letters may be sent to Mrs. Lynd, in care of Betty Woodruff, 2272 County Road 18, South Point, Ohio 45680.

Mrs. Lynd is the daughter of the late Henry and Alice Moore. She is the wife of the late Haskell Lynd.

Her extended family includes seven children, Alice Bennett of Bennington, Vt., Garland Lynd, Garnet Woodruff, Betty Woodruff and Bill Lynd, all of South Point, Evelyn Cochran of Deer River, Minn., and Melba Cochran of Riverside Calif.; 30 grandchildren; 75 great-grandchildren; 45 great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Gladys Kearns of South Point.

She lost one daughter, Freda Bowman, this year.