DALTON, Ga. — Kate Kemp walked to the podium Sunday afternoon, singing one of Eva Lou Betton Rivers’ favorite gospel songs, “I Want Jesus to Walk With Me.”

‘Walk with me Lord, walk with me. I want Jesus to walk with me; all along my pilgrim journey, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me,”  Kemp sang as the crowd including Rivers, her cousin, joined in.

Rivers, a native of Murray County who moved to Dalton in 1948, celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at the Mack Gaston Community Center. “Sweet Walk Down Memory Lane” was the theme for Rivers, whose birthday was Monday.

“Praise the Lord for Sister Rivers,” Kemp, of Chatsworth, said. “We talk sometimes. I never want to talk long, but she says, ‘Oh, we got time.’”

Kemp, 88, said there are many stories to tell about Rivers but she wouldn’t.

“It’s too much to tell, it’s all good though,” she said.

Rivers said there is no secret to her hitting such a milestone.

“I just did what I was suppose to do,” she said. “Every day I got up I took care of my family.”

Nephew John Betton said both communities are blessed to have someone like his aunt in their lives.

“The Bible says there is nothing greater than love so we want to honor and thank her for being a part of our lives,” Betton said.

Curtis Rivers, one of Eva Lou and the late Curtis Sr.’s five children, said during his mother’s time it took a village to raise kids. His siblings are Robert Rivers of Fort Oglethorpe and Claudette King, Teresa Ray and the late Mary Frances Brown, all of Dalton.

“She was one of those mothers from the village,” he said. “A lot of children claimed her as a mother and grandmother.”

Eva Lou Rivers was 13 when her mother Claudia Betton died. The oldest of four siblings, she stepped up to help her father raise the others. She said she’s always worked hard, leaving school in third grade to work on the farm.

“I picked cotton every day,” she said.

Later in life she became a nanny, working for several Dalton families. She enjoys cooking, sewing and quilting. 

Curtis Rivers said his mother has always been very giving.

“She never says anything bad about people whether she thinks it or not,” he said.

Bishop Nicky Starling of St. James Overcoming Church of God in Dalton, where Eva Lou Rivers attends, said he’s thankful for her.

“She has a wonderful smile and spirit that she displays,” he said.  

Eva Rose Rivers, 11, one of her 19 great-grandchildren and her namesake, said her great-grandmother has “strength, compassion and immeasurable love” for her family. Eva Lou Rivers also has 12 grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

Grandson Tommy Pinson, director of the community center, said Sunday was his grandmother’s second time coming to the community center. She came in 2012 during the grand opening.

“I don’t know why she hasn’t been here doing Zumba, working out or playing basketball,” he joked. “But it’s an honor to have her here and to call her my grandmother.”

Robert Rivers said, “It’s simply a blessing to have a 100-year-old mother.” His wife Helen said her mother-in-law is always “precious” to everybody.

“She’s always been there for us and a real good Christian example for the world,” she said.

Eva Lou Rivers said she enjoyed the celebration.

“I’m glad to see everybody, “ she said. “I never will forget y’all and I love everybody.”