In her 90 years of life, Thomas resident Marion Gingell has seen a lot of changes.
After all, Her means of transportation spanned from using a horse-drawn buggy in the early 1900s to driving an automobile until she was in her 80s.
One thing that hasn’t changed in her life, though, is her dedication to her family.
That’s why her children, Donna and David Kirby, of Oxford, Fred and Shirley Gingell, of Hadley and Laurene and Art Baldwin, of Hadley, threw her a surprise 90th birthday party on January 10.
Gingell was originally born in Pinconning, which is just north of Bay City, in 1917. She shared her birthday with her twin brother, Malcolm.
Her family moved to the small town of Thomas in 1932, where Gingell entered Oxford High School. After graduation, she worked at the Almont Lock Factory.
She met her husband, Lawrence Gingell, at a dance at Thomas Hall and they were married from May 20, 1937 until his death in 1994.
They built their home on Thomas Road where they farmed for their entire 57 years together.
After her children were grown, Gingell began working for Oxford Schools in the cafeterias at Daniel Axford and Clear Lake elementary schools.
When she and her husband decided to retire, the couple split time between their cabin on Secord Lake in Gladwin County and their Thomas home for many years.
Not only has Gingell been blessed with loving children, but also grandchildren.
She has seven grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Gingell said she is most proud of ‘being a hard-working farmer’s wife and for having a very dedicated, loving husband and family.?