Born in 1921, Eva Mae Smith celebrated her birthday on Jan. 9, making her 105. Full of wisdom from having witnessed over a century of change, though there is one thing that has remained constant for many decades: her faith and connection to Morning Star Baptist Church.

Founded in 1965 when services were held in the home of Rev. James Meadows, the church’s first pastor, Morning Star became one of the fastest growing churches in Boston. Now located in Mattapan for many years, Morning Star is a place of worship that serves a number of Boston communities.

Smith said she was drawn to Morning Star having grown up in a religious household, explaining that her grandfather had been a preacher. This eventually led her to wanting to get baptized once she was a bit older; she was involved in Morning Star for about a year before she she was baptized in 1985.

Smith remained at the church because of the presence of her friends, many of whom she knew before she made the decision to join. A faithful member, over the years Smith explained that the church had been good to her and she hadn’t missed a communion cup in six years, even attending during the pandemic when the event was held in the church parking lot.

As she got older and could not continue to attend in person, members of the church ensured that she was included, one of her fellow senior ministry members delivering the communion cup to her on Christmas Day. Smith also said they often check up on her to make sure she has everything she needs.

Smith is originally from Portsmouth, Ohio, where she grew up, and moved to Boston after World War II. During her time in Boston, she worked at City Hall for 14 years. She moved to Quincy more than two decades ago, noting that February will mark 24 years.

After many decades spent at Morning Star, Smith said that at this age, the thing that keeps her going is her faith.

“For the last 25 years the first thing I see is the cross across the street right in front of a beautiful white church,” she said. “I see the sunrise, I see the sunset. It’s a beautiful view that starts my day feeling well.”

Robin Skinner, Smith’s daughter, said she is amazed every day by her mother’s wisdom and is beyond proud and grateful to say that her mother is still with her today.

“If I’m casually talking to someone, I’m like, ‘You want to see something phenomenal?’ They’re like, yeah, and I show her my mother’s face,” she said. “I just can’t get over she’s still 105 walking and talking and doing the real thing.”

Smith said there have been many ups and downs over the years. Having lost both of her sisters and her son, she also said it is important to look at the brighter sides of life.

Smith said she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, who visit often and help her with a number of tasks throughout the day. But she particularly enjoys making coffee herself.

Skinner said her mother is sensitive, which not many people know, but at the same time holds immense strength that has influenced their family. She also said her mother’s mental vitality can be both impressive and overwhelming at times.

Smith has had a willingness to stay up-to-date on current events and Skinner explained that she gets daily calls from her mother about what she had seen on the news that day, saying her mother loves to talk and that it’s not often you meet a 105-year-old who you could ask about anything.

Skinner laughed as she went on recalling when their family had thrown her mother a party for her 90th birthday, remembering her almost childlike wonder at the surprise.

“She couldn’t believe it, [and] she backed out the door. To me, that was just like she was a little baby, she couldn’t take the excitement for that one second,” she said.

As Smith continues to be a living testament to her own strength for her family, she said that if there was any advice she could give to young people today, it’s the importance of being kind.

“Try to treat people nice. It’s not always easy, but try not to do anybody harm,” she said.