By SANDRA THAMES / Community Columnist

Born Adel Virginia Reach on Feb. 8, 1927 and weighing only 2 1/2 pounds (a very serious circumstance 89 years ago) she was quickly dubbed “Tiny,” and “Tiny” she has been to everyone since that day.

Adel Reach Kirkland (widow of Claude Kirkland) is the mother of one son, Billy (who lives next door to her), the grandmother of two grandchildren and great-grandmother of four.

Kirkland attends the Alabaster Senior Citizens Center about four days a week and loves all the activities that are available to seniors who visit the center.

“The food is good, the people are nice and the facilities are all first class,” Kirkland said. “I love to play Rummikub, Rook, Dominoes, Wei and many other games that are available at the center.”

Growing up as a farm girl with nine brothers and sisters, Kirkland didn’t realize they were poor.

Her parents worked their farm together and her mother was also employed at the Siluria cotton mill.

“Nobody had anything extra during the depression, but we always seemed to have plenty to eat,” she said. “I picked a little cotton, carried firewood and helped in the garden … not many chores because I was the baby so someone else usually got the chores before me.”

“Tiny” quit school in the 11th grade and went to work in the cotton mill in the cloth room.

Later in life, Kirkland worked for 33 1/2 years at Walmart in the cloth section.  During her tenure at Walmart she has probably waited on everyone in Shelby County who needed cloth for sewing or costumes.

Her personality is positive, she is spry and she loves meeting people.

Full of laughter and jokes, she is a delight to be around.

Kirkland’s church membership is at First Baptist of Alabaster, but she usually attends church in Pelham with her son and says she enjoys it very much.

In response to the question of her dreams for the future, she answers quite simply “Heaven.”