Erma Kate Hall (now McBride) was born on September 21, 2025 in Sherman, Florida - a small sawmill town located south of Okeechobee where very few physical structures remain today. Known as "Kay", she has lived through one hundred remarkable years. She was recently honored with a letter from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (click here to see the letter).
Her family moved to Millville when she was 6 years old, and her earliest memories are of her mother, Katie, always working hard and running a boarding house in Springfield. Some of her fondest memories involve her young adult life, raising her son David, alongside her beloved husband Tom.
Her first paying job was as the first cashier for the Bay Theater at Business 98/Hwy. 22 in Springfield. She does not remember what her paycheck was, but she's sure it was a lot of money to her at the time.
Kay is quick to say that the best part of her life was being married to Thomas J. McBride, Jr., who passed away in 2008. When asked how long they were married, Kay responded, “all of my life.” In actuality, they were married for 53 years, and traveled the world for 29 of those years. Tom was a Lieutenant Colonel, a pilot, in the Air Force.
Kay volunteered for years with Family Services at the military bases where they were assigned, and received Volunteer of the Month award while stationed at Beale AFB in California. She enjoyed bowling and was president of her bowling league. After Tom retired from the military, Kay and Tom enrolled in square dance lessons. They joined two groups, one at Tyndall Air Force Base and one in Lynn Haven, and would travel to different festivals where they performed. This was a special time they both very much enjoyed. Later, Kay took up clogging lessons, but Tom (wisely) choose not to participate in that one.
Over the years Kay has witnessed world changes, from horse drawn wagons, to model-T cars, to smartphones. However, she has never mastered the smartphone!!
Her advice to the younger generation is to be happy with what you have, and to work hard. And her secret to a long life? "Don’t drink, smoke or sunbathe!"
Happy 100th birthday Kay!