Ada Cooley, who turns 100 years old next week on March 28, has lived a life of taking care of others, community service and working alongside family in a variety of businesses. She’s known sorrow but also enjoyed work, her yard and garden, and played more than a few games along the way.

The centenarian will celebrate her birthday with a party hosted by family, with five generations gathering in Blanco. The community is invited to attend Ada’s birthday party March 31.

Ada’s family compiled key events and a personal history in a related article featured on page 8.

Her granddaughter Angie Daniels nominated Ada for this Blanco Bedrock issue. This reporter was honored to meet Ada recently and talk to her about some of her favorite memories of family, friends and Blanco.

Ada’s husband Sam took his bride from her childhood home in Kendal County to San Antonio in 1936 to work for a dairy near the city. She helped him with the dairy that at first included 13 cows.

“After Sam milked the cows and brought the milk home, we cooled the milk in a metal can filled with ice,” she said. “It ran down into what was like a saucer. It was a big container like a separator. And then we poured it into bottles and capped them. We put the case and bottles into an ice box. My husband peddled the milk door-to-door. We had a wash tub that sat on a burner and I’d put the bottles in when he brought them home. It was the sterilizer that we used in the 1930s.”

The Cooley’s moved to Blanco in 1941 and rented a place west of town. In 1946, they bought a farm and settled in for good on RR 1623 and what is now Cooley Lane, a paved road and not the caliche road it once was when they first moved.

The Cooleys operated the last working dairy in Blanco, named the Triple C Dairy for their boys, who also helped out milking the cows twice a day.

“Of course the roads and even the dams on the river that we have today weren’t what we had years ago,” Ada said. “When the water wasn’t running, there were times when it was faster to drive down the river bed to get to town. When the water was running, we had to cross the river four times to get to Blanco.”

The Blanco she first knew consisted of a grocery store, a drug store and a couple of banks.

Ada worked in Blanco in many different positions, as detailed in her personal history. Her favorite job was working at the C&C Convenience Store, now C.J.s, with Sam.

“He got one of those rotisseries for chicken, and made BBQ, hamburgers and fries,” she said. “It was nice to meet a lot of people. I’d look out in the parking lot and see all different state license plates. Lady Bird Johnson even came in once. We had a nice talk.”

She remembered that school had open lunches back then and many students came in for lunch.

“I never thought that store should have three doors, especially when the school kids came in for lunch,” she said. “We may not have gotten paid for all the food that went out with them, but we didn’t starve.”

Ada was well-known as a hard worker and took on different jobs in town through the years.

“I worked at the senior home in Blanco under Arnella Calhoun, working the night shift to take care of people,” Ada said. “I always liked taking care of people—well, most people. We always had someone who needed taken care of in the house.”

One of Ada’s long-term commitments to helping others started when she volunteered to serve as a room mother with Florine Lord for the Blanco class of 1959. Their responsibilities included going on field trips and planning other events. The two have joined the class at reunions throughout the years, and still garner invitations as the class celebrates its 60th reunion April 13 this year.

“The one year that I didn’t go to their reunion was the year Floyd passed away,” Ada said. “I just couldn’t go, so instead I went to the cemetery to visit his grave. All of a sudden, I heard cars honking and then his classmates drove up with yellow roses to put on his grave. It meant so much to have them there. They were all so close.”

She and best friend Florine have spent more time being honored by the classmates than serving them. She enjoys hearing from and keeping up with the class members and their families.

“They always make sure we’re invited and when we go, they always make sure Florine and I have the most comfortable chairs to sit in,” she said.

Ada was a member of the Eagles service club for 24 years until they went “kaput.” She served as president five times and worked many a steak night to raise money for the libraries in Blanco and Kendalia, the fire department and for years held an Easter egg hunt for the Head Start children.

She won awards for her chili and cornbread, made for Eagles fundraisers. Ada’s bread was also well-known.

“I baked bread for our store,” she said, “’and I always baked it for church bake sales. I’d take it and it would sell before it hit the table.”

Ada lights up when she talks about the years spend playing cards and dominoes at the Gem of the Hills. In addition to being a member of the lifelong club at the Blanco Bowling Club, she is the remaining member of the 42 Domino Club of Blanco, having played for more than 50 years since 1961.

“There were 12 of us originally,” she said. “We would take turns meeting at each other’s houses. Some in town said it was too far to come out here, but I never missed going. Helen Jones always had a big spread. She always served a dinner. Most of us served a snack and coffee. And shelled pecans. I love shelled pecans.”

She said that it was just women to start, but now more men than women play. All were fast players.

“If you didn’t play fast, you didn’t play,” she said.

As the years went by, the number of members in the club dropped.

“When there were only four of us left, we gave each other a trophy,” Ada said. “Then it was only Hilda Schmit and me left, so we gave each other trophies. The only one left now is me. I played at Gem of the Hills until two years ago. I’d play right now if I could see.”

Now, Ada is the one being taken care of by her son Ronnie, granddaughter Angie and health care aides who come and stay with her throughout the day.

“I want to stay here,” she said.

A call from Florine to check on her, a card with news from a friend or family member in the mail or a visit from neighbor Perry Kuebel brightens her day.

Never one to sit idly by, Ada loved her garden and kept a beautiful yard neighbors called a “show place.”

“My husband always said he could find me bent over picking weeds,” Ada said. “I mowed our place and all the way down to the river. I hope my irises will be blooming for my birthday.”

Happy birthday, Miss Ada.