Community comes together to celebrate Calhoun resident's 100th birthday

CALHOUN, Ga. - Bill Maxwell, a Calhoun resident, celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday with members of the community. 

The Morning Pointe assisted living facility and members of the community came together for a birthday party that followed social distancing guidelines. 

Maxwell, and other residents of the facility, sat outside as people drove by with signs, honking and shouting happy birthday. 

Maxwell, a WWII veteran and a former pilot, was also celebrated with a flyover. 

He loves telling stories of his time traveling across the world with his wife and the people they met along the way. 

“Pay attention to people. People are what it’s all about," Maxwell said. 

It's the people at home in the northwest Georgia town who have become his family. 

“I lost my son and I lost my wife, so I’m just sponging off of everybody else," Maxwell said.

Among those in attendance on Monday, Phil Beamer and his siblings. 

The three used to live next to Maxwell and his wife.

“I guess we all learned at a young age we could slip up the hill and get some fresh baked cookies or a cake or pie. I guess that’s how it all started. They always treated us like we were their grandkids," Beamer said. 

Maxwell is just one of three residents of Morning Pointe who will turn 100 in the next several months.