You only turn 100 once, so when you do -- it's nice to have the entire city behind you to help celebrate!
Mrs. Clara Hall Hughes of Oak Ridge turned 100 years old Monday, so to celebrate her and her many achievements in the community, Oak Ridge dedicated the entire day to her.
Hughes, her family and friends, and Mayor Warren Gooch met Monday to officially name September 28, 2020 as "Clara Hall Hughes Day."
The mayor issued a proclamation inviting everyone to celebrate the milestone.
The proclamation listed Hughes' many achievements, including her 30 years of service as a maintenance supervisor at Union Carbide Nuclear Corporation, her distinction of being the first Black woman to serve as a member of the Y-12 Union Board, and her volunteer spirit across Oak Ridge and East Tennessee.
Hughes has served as a Sunday school teacher and member of the choir at Little Lead Missionary Baptist Church in Oliver Springs, and as a deaconess for more than 60 years. She also has volunteered for many years at the Oliver Springs Historical Society, where she holds the title of Mother of the Mayme Carmichael School Organization, Inc.
Hughes is a proud parent a daughter, proud grandparent of four grandchildren, and proud great-grandparent of eight great-grandchildren. They said she is still very active at 100 and loves canning fruits and vegetables, making jellies and preserves, feeding and watching birds, and serving her community any way she can.
