Marlin Man Celebrates 100 Years of Life, Legacy, and Faith
MARLIN, Texas (FOX 44) — James 'J.T.' Modkins, a lifelong resident of Marlin, Texas, turned 100 years old on May 28, marking a century of life defined by service, resilience, and unwavering faith. He's currently a resident at the Golden Years nursing home, where they held a celebration for him on his birthday.
Born in 1925, Modkins has lived through some of the most pivotal moments in American history — from the era of Jim Crow laws and the Great Depression to World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking back, he calls it nothing short of a gift. 'It's really a blessing,' Modkins said.
Throughout his life, Modkins has been a steadfast pillar in the Marlin community.
'I spent 20 years with Marlin Housing Authority, I spent 18 years for the country club off and on, and then I retired in '95 and I went to start driving cabs, running around doing this and that,' James said.
Modkins also devoted much of his time to his church, serving as both a deacon and superintendent of Sunday School at the Church of the Living God Pillar & Ground of the Truth (PGT). Having witnessed a century of change in his hometown, Modkins reflects on how the city has evolved.
'It changes about every ten, twelve years — different from where it's going, anyway,' he said. 'So that's the way that goes. You got to be able to change with that.'
James expressed how grateful he is to have lived such a full life and watching his family expand. A motto he lives by is 'always do the best you can do'.
Married to his late wife Emma for more than 70 years, Modkins is the father of six children. Emma Modkins passed away three years ago at age 92.
Their youngest daughter, Mary Modkins-Henderson, said her father remains the same steadfast figure he's always been.
'It's a blessing because it doesn't happen every day, and he's been the best dad ever,' she said. 'He worked three, four, five jobs in order to supply us with everything that we need.'
Despite the challenges and triumphs of 100 years, Modkins credits his longevity and outlook to his faith.
'He told me, 'In His word,' he said, 'to do the best that you can do, and when you have done your best, I'll take over if you can't do the rest,'' Modkins said.
As the Modkins family celebrates the life of their family patriarch, they will continue living with love and their faith at their core.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
We must ‘get real' about Trump abandoning Ukraine, Europe admits
British and French officials drawing up plans for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine have discussed the need to 'get real' about Donald Trump abandoning the country. Officials agreed to shift the focus from deploying European troops to back up any ceasefire to sustaining Kyiv's long-term defence against Russia's invasion without American support. There is now a genuine concern that the US president will follow through on his threat to walk away from his role as a mediator, having failed to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. 'Let's get real and admit the US will never be on board,' a Western official told the Telegraph, describing the dire mood at the meeting in the Hague. A European diplomat added: 'It was mostly about how to sustain the necessary support to Ukraine when we assume that the US would only continue providing some specific assets, such as intelligence. 'We also agreed on the need to step up economic pressure on Russia.' The meeting in the Dutch capital, attended by 'political directors' from foreign ministries, marked a stark change in roles of the 'coalition of the willing' devised by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron to uphold a possible ceasefire being pursued by the Americans. Sir Keir and Mr Macron have been pushing the 'coalition of the willing' proposal under which European allies would use their soldiers to help enforce any peace deal. More than 30 nations have indicated support, although only a handful have publicly offered to put troops on the ground in Ukraine. A central question had been whether Washington is willing to provide what has been described by UK figures as a 'security guarantee' or a 'back-up' for this force. The group still hasn't publicly conceded that its intentions have changed, with the chances of peace dwindling the longer Putin holds out against international pressure for a truce. The European nations also agreed to invite Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, to the Nato summit in The Hague next month. His attendance had previously been in doubt after Mr Trump's vocal opposition to Ukraine joining the Western military alliance. General Keith Kellogg, Mr Trump's Ukraine envoy, said on Friday: 'We've said that, to us, Ukraine coming into Nato is not on the table. 'And we're not the only country that says that. You know, I can probably give you four countries in Nato, and it takes 32 of the 32 to allow you to come into Nato.' It is likely the coalition will continue to support the Trump peace efforts in public at the request of Ukrainian officials, who fear not doing so will result in the US leader ending weapons shipments and intelligence sharing. Although Washington has not signed off on deliveries of new weapons since Mr Trump took office, it continues to ship hardware agreed under Joe Biden's tenure. The US has also signed off on sales of domestically-produced kit, such as spares for F-16 fighter jets, to Ukraine, as well as allowing European nations to deliver American-made equipment. The meeting in the Dutch capital comes ahead of a key week of diplomacy. On Monday, Britain's national security adviser is expected to attend the next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. Gen Kellogg told ABC News: 'We'll have what we call the E3. That is the national security advisers from Germany, France, and Great Britain…When we were in London, they kind of helped us mould a term sheet for Ukraine.' Moscow and Kyiv held their first direct negotiations in more than three years in the Turkish capital earlier this month. On Friday, the Kremlin said it would only discuss the conditions of a ceasefire at the talks in Istanbul after Kyiv demanded to see a peace memorandum prior to negotiations. Ukraine said it wanted to see a document setting out Russia's peace proposal before committing to sending officials to Istanbul. Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister, said: 'In order for the next planned meeting to be substantive and meaningful, it is important to receive a document in advance so that the delegation that will attend has the authority to discuss the relevant positions.' Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, announced the second round of talks earlier this week after Donald Trump further criticised Vladimir Putin. The US president had called his Russian counterpart 'crazy' and accused him of 'playing with fire' before appearing to give him a two-week deadline to secure a deal. Next week, Britain and Germany will also host a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group of 50 nations coordinating military aid to Ukraine. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Best Amazon deals: I browsed thousands of sales and found rare discounts on Shark, Waterpik and more
With a signpost national holiday just barely in the rearview, how nice that this weekend kicks off with another important "memorial": the birthday of that most American of poets, Walt Whitman. Herewith, some of his most oft-quoted lines:Give me the splendid, silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling. Stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others. Happiness, not in another place but this place … not for another hour, but this hour… ... which have got me thinking about the best Amazon sales this see, as splendid as that sun is, you'll want to get protected come late afternoon, and this stylish cover-up is marked down to just $26. And hey, what with graduations and Father's Day on the horizon, there isn't a better time to devote some income to others, with stupid-low prices on a four-pack of Apple AirTags for your fave student to use during their summer vacation, a rare $75, or a high-tech pair of Sony noise-canceling headphones for Dad for their lowest price all year. As for happiness in this (meaning, your) place, things will feel more harmonious if bulky winter linens aren't hogging space in your closet; store 'em in these editor-approved clothing bins (a six-pack's just $10). You'll need a little R&R after all of that organizing, so kick your feet up and wind down with some bestselling under-eye masks ($16 for 24 pairs).Don't put your shopping off for another hour, at another place, pounce on it this hour! Because some of these markdowns won't be in stock forever, and, well, there are so, so many of them to peruse. Seriously: Amazon's weekend sale contains multitudes. In this guide: Rare Amazon deals | All-time low prices | Best beauty and wellness deals | Best home deals | Best outdoor deals | Best kitchen deals | Best tech deals | Best fashion deals If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
$1 billion in school mental health grants won't be renewed; PA organizations are worried
(WHTM) – The Strong Minds, Bright Futures is a statewide partnership of over 60 organizations dedicated to improving youth mental health across Pennsylvania. They are strongly urging the Department of Education to reconsider the decision to cut $1 billion in federal grants supporting school-based mental health services. 'I think many of our kids, our families and even our teachers and principals don't yet understand the negative impact that this is going to have,' said CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Marcus Allen. Advocates say if this decision is not reversed, it will leave more than 250,000 students across the Commonwealth without mental health support. Families will lose access to school counselors, social workers, and programs designed to support students' well-being and prevent youth suicide. 'The Trump administration taking a wrecking ball to this funding that provides these critical services for students who are experiencing behave, role and emotional challenges. It's incredibly shortsighted,' said Chris Lilienthal with the Pennsylvania State Education Association. This funding stems from a law passed in 2022 following the tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The law is called the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. 'It was designed to help schools hire mental health professionals including counselors and social workers,' said Allen. 36 schools across Pennsylvania received funding, including four in the Midstate. Senator John Fetterman shared a statement with abc27: 'We're facing a mental health crisis in this country, and I don't know any Pennsylvanian who thinks our kids have the mental health support system they need in our classrooms. As a senator, but more importantly, as a parent, I'm working to improve access and increase the number of counselors in our schools. Instead, the Trump administration is gutting the very program that would make these improvements possible. It's a cruel move that will only hurt our kids. I'm calling on the administration to immediately reverse course.' Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary, Madi Biedermann said in a statement: 'The Department decided not to continue funding these grants beyond the initial award terms. These grants are intended to improve American students' mental health by funding additional mental health professionals in schools and on campuses. Instead, under the deeply flawed priorities of the Biden Administration, grant recipients used the funding to implement race-based actions like recruiting quotas in ways that have nothing to do with mental health and could hurt the very students the grants are supposed to help. We owe it to American families to ensure that tax-payer dollars are supporting evidence-based practices that are truly focused on improving students' mental health.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
