By Myra Bean

Saturday, June 1, approximately 100 people gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of Shedrich Frazier at the Batesville Lions Club.

He was born June 4, 1919, in Batesville.

Frazier has been able to witness children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in his lifetime. His cousin Julius Harris read a proclamation from State Senator Robert L. Jackson and Lt. Governor Tate Reeves.

It proclaimed he has lived the span of 18 presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Donald Trump and 25 governors from Theodore Bilbo to Phil Bryant.

He married the late Hattie Mae Cooper Frazier and they had six children, George Brassell, Brenda Nash, James Brassell, Rosie Hughes, Shedrich Fraszier Jr., and Joyce McKinney. He is a member of Shiloh CME Church in Sardis, is on the Trustee Board and is the oldest member.

He was a farmer and worked in the cotton fields, planted big gardens and raised sorghum. He worked at Poloran and for the county of Panola in his lifetime. He was active in the civil rights movement and transported voters to the polls.

Various members addressed the assembled and told of their time and memories with Frazier and what he has done and taught them. Many recalled him teaching them to play checkers, card games, cut hair and how to drive.

Frazier lived through the Great Depression, World War II and the man’s walk on the moon. He was once the subject of a documentary about his war experiences that is kept in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The documentary can be found  on the Library of Congress’ website.

He was a private in the U.S. Army during World War II from Aug. 1941 to 1945 in Unit 29th, 34th and 45th overseas battalion, serving as a truck driver in a quartermaster unit in New Guinea. He served in the East Indies, New Guinea, Texas, Sydney, Australia and the Philippines. During his deployment to New Guinea, the island was under attack by the Japanese much of the time. The soldiers endured frequent air raids and rugged living conditions.

These days, Frazier likes to stay active repairing twine bottom chairs. His youngest daughter, Joyce McKinney said that he keeps busy, including looking after his vehicle.

“He still goes out and rubs on that truck,” she said.

As for the party that covered about three hours, McKinney said, “We could have gone on and on and on. His nieces and nephews were glad to come because they hadn’t seen him in years and years. It was like a reunion.”