Lillie ‘Zoree’ McCall was born on October 18, 1917 to parents Shufford McCall and Lula Sullivan McCall. She married Jesse Thomas Ariail and they had three children. She has many grandchildren to great-great-great grandchildren. After her husband Jesse passed away, she later married Ralph Hester. She has lived most of her life in the Simpsonville area. She has attended church all her life. She was a member of Cross Roads Baptist Church in Five Forks, and is currently a member of Fork Shoals Baptist Church.
The early years for the Ariail family were very hard as sharecropping farmers, but it was honest work. They farmed, raised and grew most of their food. They took their goods and handmade wreaths to the Curb Market. Jesse and the boys hunted and fished. Basically, they lived off the land. By mid-life, they were able to fulfill the ‘American Dream’ of becoming homeowners, and she still owns that house today. Later in life, she became quite an entrepreneur by breeding dogs and selling puppies, and growing and selling flowers and shrubs.
Zoree has a passion for flowers, and roses are her favorite – especially pink. She also loves dogs. She enjoys celebrating special occasions with her family. She is happiest outdoors, working in her yard and believes that keeping busy, keeps you going. She attributes her longevity to “Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long on the earth.” Exodus 20:12.
When she was born in 1917, Woodrow Wilson was President. There have been 17 presidents in her life, so far. WWI was ongoing and continued until November 1918. She also lived through the Great Depression and WWII. She has also seen many medical and technological advances, numerous wars, civil rights movements and space exploration. She was one year old during the 1918 total solar eclipse and 99 years old during the 2017 total solar eclipse. Living to be 100 years old has been her lifelong dream. Congratulations to Mrs. Zoree A. Hester.
Below are ‘Fun Facts’ read at her birthday party.
In the year 1917…
• A loaf of bread was 7 cents.
• Movie tickets were 23 cents.
• The average US hourly wage was 22 cents an hour.
• Land was $69 per acre.
• The average price of a car in the US was $400. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
• The average price of a house was $5,000.
• The hamburger bun was invented by a fry cook named Walter Anderson, who co-founded White Castle.
• A Boeing aircraft flew for the first time on June 15.
• On July 1, 1916, Coca-Cola introduced its current formula to the market.
• There were 48 states in America. ♦
