Zebulon resident Christina Banner one of those fortunate enough to fall into both categories. She turned 100 on Monday. She doesn’t need a walker to get around the house. When she’s hungry she makes her way to the kitchen and fixes herself a plate.

Of course, when 36,500 days have passed you by you’re not expected to remember it’s been that long since you were born.

“I never thought about it until they told me,” Banner said. “You’ve got to watch them because they go by quick.”

Banner was born and raised in Davenport, New York, where her family ran a dairy farm. She worked at a mica plant and sewing factory in New York during WWII, and crocheting remained a hobby of Banner’s as long as she was able.

Her career was in maintenance at Oneonta Teachers College. Banner retired from there and moved to Emporia, Va., where she lived with her husband Fletcher for three years until he passed away.

She then moved to Richmond to live with her daughter, Grace Robinson, and has lived with her daughter ever since. The two moved to the Bunn Lake area in 1998.

Banner is the oldest of 10 siblings; one of four still living. She has a brother and two sisters ages 97, 96 and 78, respectively.

She has 14 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and more great-great, and great-great-great grandchildren than she or Robinson can count.

Robinson said Banner has always been a good mother and grandmother — the kind of person that’s always been busy lending a hand to others when needed. She said her activeness and positive attitude has given her the good health she has today.

“She doesn’t read. She doesn’t like TV. But she does like lively music — country music,” Robinson said. “When she first wakes up in the morning she’s still got that happy nature. She claps her hands and sings.”

That liveliness has been with Banner since childhood, when dances would be held in her New York neighborhood and several family musicians would supply the music.

While she may not have been in tune with how old she was turning Monday, she was very aware it was her birthday. She told Robinson ahead of time she wanted a lemon cake and oyster stew in true New Englander fashion.