photo by: Carri Graham

Doris Morrison sits inside her Colerain home surrounded by flowers and cards sent to her by family and friends for her 108th birthday, which she celebrated Sunday.

COLERAIN — Longtime Colerain resident Doris Morrison is feeling grateful as she celebrated 108 years of life this past weekend.

Morrison, who was born on July 10, 1914 — 18 days before World War I broke out — said she has a lot to look forward to this year and is proud to say that she maintains her own home, in which she has lived for nearly 90 years.

“I just take every day as it comes,” she said between jokes. “That’s all you can do. You can’t change what’s going to be.”

Morrison grew up on a farm in Brookside before meeting her future husband, David, and marrying him in 1935. The couple moved into the home on Maple Lane where she still resides shortly after their wedding. Although Doris couldn’t remember the exact year, David died some time ago from bone cancer.

And while she has been in her golden years for quite a while, Doris Morrison still is quick witted and moves about her house with the help of a cane.

Morrison happily recalled one of her favorite memories from her life when she was still a young woman. She said she used to work as a caretaker for a family in the neighborhood whose baby she looked after. After the couple overheard Morrison singing to their infant, they asked her to perform at the high school.

“I danced back and forth and sang every song imaginable. I had no appointment, I just sang everything I could think of. They started clapping, and then they stood up and I got a standing ovation. That’s the big event in my life,” she said, recalling that she wore a red dress that she had borrowed from her sister.

“I can still see myself dancing across that stage. When I was through, I was crying and a guy on the end pulled out a white handkerchief, wiped my eyes and helped me off the stage. After that, I got engaged to that guy.”

The man who assisted her off the stage following her impromptu performance ended up being her future husband, Morrison explained.

Nowadays, Morrison does not leave her house much, but she enjoys throwing leftovers out to the birds and watching them snack away.

Dorothy Powell, a neighbor of Morrison, said she has known centenarian her whole life, more than 70 years. She said she was just a small child when Morrison moved in next door.

Powell said Morrison is an impressive and independent lady. The two women still get together regularly, and they shared a piece of cake late Friday afternoon.