Johnnie Boring, a lifelong resident of Pontotoc County, turned 100 years old on February 10. PEC’s Director of Substation/Transmission Services Matt Cooley stopped by Boring’s home on his big day to wish him, “Happy 100th birthday,” and to present Boring a card signed by the employees, along with a birthday cake and some festive People's Electric Cooperative (PEC) swag.
Not many can fathom the idea of stating the year of 1923 as their birth year, let alone be able to say that they share their birth year with the bulldozer, the first game played at Yankee stadium, the first issue of Time Magazine being published or the 3-spot traffic light being patented, but Johnnie Boring can! This milestone celebration put Boring in the elite 100 and over club. 252000403
When the Lights Came On
Growing up in the Ada area, Boring has spent his entire life cattle ranching and farming. PEC brought power to the family home and farm in the 1930’s when Boring was just a boy. Prior to electricity being installed, he did his homework by candlelight or lantern. In the summer, they took a mattress to the yard to sleep outside and stay cooler. They had a pot belly stove to heat the home, but when electricity arrived, electric heat was made possible. They could have daylight no matter what was going on outside—rain, cold or the darkness of night. Food preservation and cooking changed with the addition of an electric powered, refrigerated ice box in the home.
Service
Boring served the Ada community and many PEC members as a county commissioner for 12 plus years and served as the president of Farm Bureau way back when; he can’t quite remember.
Faith & Family
Boring has also been a lifelong member of Ada First Baptist Church. According to his granddaughter, Misty Weddle of Denton, Texas, “He taught eighth grade Sunday school long enough for my mother to go through eighth grade, me to go through eighth grade, and my children to go through eighth grade, over 50 years of teaching Sunday school. He even had a few students go on to pursue church careers,” said Weddle. When asked what his success could be owed to, of course, he said, hard work and his faith.
Mr. Boring, thank you for your membership in our electric cooperative and your years of dedicated service to our community.