Dunbar native celebrates 101st birthday with friends and family

Reporter: Zoe Warner Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:

A Dunbar native celebrated her 101st birthday on Sunday, and the Dunbar High School band surprised her during the festivities.

Ms. Pete said that she couldn’t be happier.

“I just want to thank my family, they surprised me,” said Ms. Pete.

After turning 101, Ms. Pete celebrated with family, friends, and the Dunbar High School band.

Carroy Bethay is the Assistant Band Director at Dunbar High School. He said that the band does more than perform for the school.

“Dunbar is a community band,” said Bethay. “So unlike most of the other bands in the county, we work really hard. We do small parades, we do events, functions within the Dunbar community, because it is the community’s band. The community sees us as a representation and extension of the Dunbar area.”

Ms. Pete, a Dunbar native, was a part of one of the first graduating classes from Dunbar High School. She played basketball in school, but now she devotes her time to other hobbies.

Christine Basking is Ms. Pete’s daughter, and she said that Ms. Pete is still active.

“She cooks, she gets up every morning and cooks,” said Christine Basking. “She cleans, she does her own hair, she does the best she can, and she moves around, because she don’t like to sit still too long, you know, she try to help, saying ‘I can do it because I’ll do it if y’all wasn’t here.”

Her children, Leroy and Christine, said she’s not just a great mom but a figure in the Dunbar community.

“Everybody loves Ms. Pete,” said Leroy Basking. “So she’s like a mother to the community or grandmother. Whatever you need, she can provide it. So she’s strong in that. She loves to do that, and she sells her little dinners, and people come to see her and just speak to her and stuff. And she just loves to conversate with people.”

And they can’t wait to celebrate with the Dunbar community next year.

“We’ll see ya’ll next year, same time, same place,” said Christine Basking.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.