Oklahoma woman born on Leap Day celebrates 25th birthday as she turns 100 years old

Mary Lea Forsythe of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, turned 100 years old on Thursday -- and celebrated her 25th birthday.

The anomaly can be credited to the fact that the 100-year-old was born Feb. 29, 1924, a date which occurs only once every four years, called leap years.

Forsythe told "Good Morning America" earlier in February that her quadrennial birthday presented a special opportunity.

"I always thought I was blessed," said Forsythe, who explained that in non-leap years, she would celebrate the occasion two or three times over. "It was so much fun. We celebrated whenever we wanted to."

Forsythe said she sometimes celebrated on the the days surrounding her birthdate those years, including on her late husband's birthday, March 6.

She specifically recalled one year in which she went with her husband William Wayne Forsythe to a diner that offered free breakfast to anyone celebrating a birthday, on his birthdate. She said when the server questioned their story -- that the day marked both of their birthdays -- she had her justification ready.

"His birthday is March 6, and mine is Feb. 29. And there is no 29th on the calendar this year. So, mine is March 6," she recalled saying.

The couple ate free that day.

Forsythe was given a 100th celebration earlier this month hosted by the Osage Hills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization in which she is an active member.

The Oklahoma native said the celebration involved a large gathering that garnered press attention, including an interview with the local news station.

Forsythe was born, raised and has lived her life in Sand Springs. According to the soon-to-be-official centenarian, her passions in life include music and the Bible.

She said her husband, to whom she was married to from 1942 until his death in 2011, was her high school sweetheart.

"He was beautiful. He was handsome.… And he had a bass voice that won first in this state when he was in high school," she said.

Forsythe, an alto herself, said she often joined her husband to sing with banjo bands in the neighboring communities and at nice restaurants in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The mother of two, grandmother of five, and great-grandmother of 11 pursued multiple different careers, working as a secretary at a law firm, pursuing a real estate license, and becoming a published author later in life.

Forsythe officially celebrated her 100th birthday on Feb. 29 at her local church.

Ahead of the celebration, Forsythe said she was struggling to slim down the guest list.

For those in attendance, she had only one rule: "No gifts, please. I don't want anything to store."

"Oh, it's just a fun time to live," she added, reflecting on the momentous occasion. "I'll tell you, it's a great time to live."

Editor's note: This article was originally published on Feb. 22, 2024.