An Oakland woman turned 105 years old on Wednesday!
Ranza Harvey Devereaux, born August 18, 1916, has many great-grandkids and grandkids.
They shared her story with KRON4 so we can all celebrate her long life.
Ranza was born in 1916 in Louisiana and moved to Oakland in 1939 with her husband. They had three girls.
The Oakland matriarch is also a nationally published poet. In fact, 15 years ago, she wrote a poem praying to live until 105 years old. Today, that wish and prayer comes true.
Ranza has lived through a lot of history in her life and now she’s survived through this pandemic while living in a nursing home near Lake Merritt.
We caught up with her grandson to hear how excited the family is to honor her.
“Through this last year with COVID, not seeing her as much, and I don’t want to get emotional… It’s really amazing because she wrote a poem called ‘Blessed’ asking for God to keep her here until 105 and now we are wondering if she will make it to 110,” said Michael Alan Dones, her grandson. “We don’t know how far she will go. It’s very exciting for her daughters who are still here. Her great-great-grandchildren here. I just wanted to say happy birthday, we love you!”
Some of the Dones family were planning to go visit Ranza, but sadly, a staff member at her nursing home in Oakland tested positive for COVID-19 so no visitors are allowed at this time.
From all of us at KRON4, happy birthday Ranza and congratulations on making it to 105!