Calkins: She’s 107. She still lives alone. The secret? It’s not what you think.
So many people wanted to take Martha McAnespie out for her 107th birthday, the celebration took a whole month. (Courtesy The McAnespie family)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. He is host of "The Geoff Calkins Show" from 9-11 a.m. M-F on 92.9 FM. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
Martha McAnespie celebrated her 107th birthday over the weekend. Yes, her 107th. And she still lives alone. The Daily Memphian got her story and her secret, too. It’s not what you might think.
Topics
Martha McAnespie 107 years old Geoff Calkins Schnucks Subscriber Only2025 is almost over. Now is the time to support your trusted local news source.
Will you help us reach more Memphians with quality, in-depth local news? Make a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization, today.
Thank you for keeping up with what’s happening in Memphis. Thank you for investing in our community’s trusted local news source.
Geoff Calkins on demand
Never miss an article. Sign up to receive Geoff Calkins' stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Related stories
Calkins: Once again — this time on 901 Day — Memphians will Finish Liza’s Run
“In a perfect world, we would have a Memphis where we didn’t have to run scared. But I don’t think that day is here yet. And I don’t think we will get there if we quit.”
Calkins: A year later, Richie Fletcher talks about Liza: ‘She would be the first to forgive.’
Richie Fletcher on his wife, Liza: “We would have late-night talks about Memphis. We could have been far away, without any worries in the world. I was always like, ‘We need to get out of here.’ But she didn’t want to leave.”
Calkins: Tom Lee Park is now officially open — and it’s spectacular
Nearly every good thing in Memphis has had to overcome fierce opposition. See Shelby Farms and the Grizz. So it’s no surprise that change didn’t come easy for the new Tom Lee Park. But the new place looks spectacular.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.