{"id":7662,"date":"2026-02-11T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7662"},"modified":"2026-02-11T15:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T15:30:00","slug":"atlanta-veteran-celebrates-100th-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7662","title":{"rendered":"Atlanta Veteran celebrates 100th birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-02-11T15:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Navy Veteran\u2019s century-long journey celebrated at Trinka Davis Veterans Village<\/h2>\n

Nearly 100 family, friends and fellow residents gathered on Jan. 12, 2026, at Trinka Davis Veterans Village Community Living Center (CLC) to celebrate an extraordinary milestone\u2014the 100th birthday of Navy Veteran Raleigh Durden, Jr. The celebration honored not only a century of life, but a lifetime defined by service, faith, hard work and love of family.<\/p>\n

Born in 1926, in Adel, Ga., Durden\u2019s journey from a small farm to becoming a centenarian Veteran has been marked by dedication and perseverance. That spirit was evident as loved ones came together to reflect on his many accomplishments and share stories spanning generations. He and his wife Nellie raised four children and he\u2019s now the proud grandfather of six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.<\/p>\n

During his service, Durden attained the rank of seaman. He worked closely with his ship\u2019s captain, where he refined his culinary skills, an interest that began in his youth and stayed with him throughout his life. Following his military service, he continued his commitment to public service by working at the United States Postal Service for more than 35 years.<\/p>\n

Dedication to service and community<\/h2>\n

The celebration also recognized Durden\u2019s commitment to education and community. A 1950 graduate of Morris Brown College, he remained deeply connected to his alma mater and was a lifetime member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., proudly representing its values of brotherhood and service. His faith has been equally central to his life, reflected in decades of devoted service at Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

When asked about the secret to a long life, he credited his faith. \u201cOne of the most important things is reading the scriptures,\u201d said Durden. Reflecting on reaching his 100th birthday, he added, \u201cI thank God for allowing me to see this day. It\u2019s truly a blessing to reach 100 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durden has resided at Trinka Davis Veteran Village CLC for more than 12 years and expressed deep appreciation for the staff. \u201cThey do a great job making this place feel like home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Donna Wilson-Fant, social worker at the facility, a part of the Atlanta VA Health Care System<\/a>, said Durden\u2019s life and legacy reflected the enduring spirit of those who serve. \u201cMr. Durden\u2019s journey stands as a testament to dedication, resilience and continued contribution well beyond military service,\u201d she said. Wilson-Fant added, \u201cIt is an honor to serve not only Mr. Durden, but all the Veterans who call Trinka Davis Veteran Village CLC home. Our staff is committed to ensuring every Veteran is treated with dignity, respect and compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Navy Veteran Raleigh Durden, Jr., celebrated his 100th birthday, marking a century of life filled with service, faith and family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nAtlanta Veteran celebrates 100th birthday - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Navy Veteran Raleigh Durden, Jr., celebrated his 100th birthday, marking a century of life filled with service, faith and family.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7662\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Atlanta Veteran celebrates 100th birthday - 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