KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana100 years old and going strong

100 years old and going strong

Posted: Updated:
By Lee Peck - bio | email

  • More Local NewsLocal

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 7:45 PM EDT2012-05-24 23:45:41 GMT
    Tricia McClelland has been banking with Jeff Davis Bank for seven years and has never had a problem. "They [Jeff Davis Bank] are awesome.... Even to this point, they're good" said McClelland. That was
    Cases of identity theft were traced to a restaurant in Jennings.  Hackers believed to be from overseas, got hold of a list of credit/debit card numbers from the restaurant's Point of Sale terminal and sold those numbers online, jeopardizing residents in the area.

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 7:23 PM EDT2012-05-24 23:23:00 GMT
    Jeremy Lee Brown is currently on trial for the June 2008 murder of his mother Gretta Ellzey, and step father, Benjamin Ellzey. It's day three of the trial, and only one witness has taken the stand today.
    Jeremy Lee Brown is currently on trial for the June 2008 murder of his mother Gretta Ellzey, and step father, Benjamin Ellzey. It's day three of the trial, and only one witness has taken the stand today.  

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 6:39 PM EDT2012-05-24 22:39:24 GMT
    The trial of Amos Maddox came to an abrupt halt this morning when he decided to plead guilty as charged.  Maddox pleaded guilty to attempted first degree murder, aggravated rape, aggravated burglary and
    The trial of Amos Maddox came to an abrupt halt this morning when he decided to plead guilty as charged.

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 4:31 PM EDT2012-05-24 20:31:18 GMT
    BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A proposal to shorten voting hours on most election days in Louisiana has been revived by a state Senate committee that killed the idea earlier this month. Currently, poll hours
    A proposal to shorten voting hours on most election days in Louisiana has been revived by a state Senate committee that killed the idea earlier this month.

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 3:53 PM EDT2012-05-24 19:53:02 GMT
    Beginning Monday, May 28, 2012, Allied Waste will begin the audit of solid waste containers within the City. Each service location (residential and commercial) should place all containers at the curb
    Beginning Monday, May 28, 2012, Allied Waste will begin the audit of solid waste containers within the City.   

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 12:59 PM EDT2012-05-24 16:59:47 GMT
    Christopher Roshell, 16, of Lake Charles will be tried as an adult for a crime that happened in March. Roshell is charged with carjacking a vehicle, armed robbery, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated
    Christopher Roshell, 16, of Lake Charles, will be tried as an adult for a crime that happened in March. 

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 11:09 AM EDT2012-05-24 15:09:58 GMT
    NEW ORLEANS (AP) - New Orleans' daily newspaper, The Times-Picayune, will switch to publishing three days a week starting in the fall and plans to increase its focus on online news. The 175-year-old paper
    New Orleans' daily newspaper, The Times-Picayune, will switch to publishing three days a week starting in the fall and plans to increase its focus on online news.

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 7:13 AM EDT2012-05-24 11:13:31 GMT
    The man convicted of manslaughter outside a Sulphur strip club will face sentencing on May 23. David Nelson was on trial for punching 19-year-old Chad Heath outside of the Plantation strip club on April
    The man convicted of manslaughter outside a Sulphur strip club was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

  • Thursday, May 24 2012 5:02 AM EDT2012-05-24 09:02:36 GMT
    Development on the Lacassine Rail Loading Facility can finally begin. The Jeff Davis Police Jury awarded the low bid to a local contractor Wednesday, May 23. The low bid was awarded to C. Morvant Construction
    The construction bid for a grading room and sampling facility for the Lacassine high-speed rail loading facility has been awarded to a local contractor. 

  • Wednesday, May 23 2012 11:35 PM EDT2012-05-24 03:35:26 GMT
    There are currently 88 inmates on Louisiana's death row, including two women. All were convicted in a court of law and are going through the appeals process before their time is up. In the last 10 years,
    There are currently 88 inmates on Louisiana's death row, including two women. All were convicted in a court of law and are going through the appeals process before their time is up. But the cost of that process, means fewer killers will end up on death row.
LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) -

It was a milestone birthday for a Lake Charles lady who turned 100 years old. Celebrating with family and friends she tells us the secret to a long and happy life.

It's something Elizabeth Pete Orphey has done quite a few times. Surrounded by family and friends she's celebrating her 100th birthday. 

A farmer's daughter, Orphey recalled her early years on the farm with her 12 brothers and sisters. 

"I grew up in Ville Platte. It's a real Cajun area. At that time there were not many black people in Ville Platte. My daddy's daddy was Cajun and he was one of the only black landowners so he gave my dad some land and he farmed," said Orphey.

She went to school for a little while before deciding it wasn't for her.

I came home one day and I told my daddy I didn't want to go to school and he said if you don't want to go - don't go. He put me in the field. I did anything a man could do in the field. Plowing, picking - I would do anything," said Orphey. "Although I didn't have a formal education I had a lot of knowledge. It was all in my head. That's all I needed. Plus, I loved to work."

That hard work ethic followed her to Lake Charles. After her marriage to the late Charles Orphey she continued to work cleaning houses until she was 93 years old.

"I worked hard. I never wanted for anything. I bought my own property, my own house and car," said Orphey. 

Now the oldest of her two remaining sisters, Orphey joked she's in better shape than they are.

"I always took care of myself. And like I said I worked for all those years so that kept me going. I'm thankful I'm still able to live by myself and do for myself," said Orphey.

She said the secret to life is to laugh often and do what you can to help others.

"Be honest to people. Help people. My daddy would help anybody and I took after him," said Orphey.

Orphey and her husband never had any children, but has a lot of nieces and nephews to keep her busy. 

Copyright 2012 KPLC. All rights reserved.