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Sandy Springs resident turns 105 years old, recalls 1918 Spanish Flu

Born in 1915, Peggy Cobb has lived a remarkable life.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A Sandy Springs resident turned 105 this week, and shared her incredible recollection of the 1918 Spanish Flu.

Born in 1915, Peggy Cobb celebrated her 105th birthday on Friday at the Hammond Glen Retirement Community where she lives.

Peggy has lived a remarkable life - the Minnesota native earned an education degree from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree, also in education, from St. Cloud State in Minnesota at a time when women weren't typically welcomed into higher education.

She is one of six siblings - five of them girls - whose father owned a small bank that went under during the Great Depression. After that, they lived on a farm.

And in all, she's lived through 18 U.S. presidents.

But perhaps most amazing, in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic, is her vivid recollection of the impact the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic had on her family.

"I remember when I was in Minnesota, I was just a little kid when this Spanish flu hit, just like this virus is hitting here," she said. "And I remember that the person in business with my dad, his wife had this flu and so dad went down - in a small town you know, the houses are close - he went down the street to see his friend, but he could not come back to our house because we were quarantined then."

At 105, Peggy hasn't lost a bit of her vitality - for her birthday, she dressed up in Hawaiian theme attire and was celebrated with a drive-by birthday party.

Credit: Hammond Glen Retirement Community

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