A 90th birthday party for Earnest Pledger, “Skeeter,” was held recently at the Masonic Lodge in Cave Spring. The party was attended by about a hundred family, friends and neighbors. The attendees made his birthday celebration very special by bringing in their favorite written or photographic memories from his life for a scrapbook.

His niece, Faye Mobbs, serenaded him with a song that he used to sing to her in the days when they were working in the fields where his dad farmed.

Pledger has lived in Cave Spring for most of his life. After serving in the Navy, he worked at Pepperell Manufacturing Co. in Lindale. He later went on to work at the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Spring as Laundry Manager. He retired from GSD. He was married to Catherine Pledger for more than 60 years. They raised their family, Nancy Terry and Dennis Pledger, in his favorite hometown of Cave Spring.

Pledger is descended from Thomas and Lucinda Pledger, who were founding members of Cave Spring Methodist Church at Round Hill.

Pledger’s membership, however, has remained at Cave Spring Baptist Church.

His ancestors have fought in every war since the American Revolution. Pledger was a Seaman, First Class, on the battleship USS Saugus. He has a letter of thanks for his service signed by Harry Truman. His grandson J.R. Smith recently continued the tradition by serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

He has one granddaughter, Lisa Means, and a great-grandson. More than 20 nieces and nephews helped him to celebrate.

He says that he has traveled to many places, but there is no place like his home town. His scrapbook was full of good times that he had helped to create for many others.

It was a wonderful day for a celebration for a really good man, and he had an awesome party. The party was hosted by his children, his niece and her husband, Glenda and Jack Wheeler, and his son-in-law Bobby Terry.