Two 94-year-old women were the subjects of celebrations Thursday.
Ceres, the statue that stands atop the Missouri Capitol Dome, was celebrated for coming down from her perch for the first time since workers placed her there Oct. 29, 1924.
Jimmie Dean "Honey" Charton, who is also 94, was celebrated for sticking around to see a woman (Ceres) who is the same age as her - which is rare, she said.
Honey lives in a retirement home in Columbia. But when news that Ceres was going to be removed from the top of the Capitol Dome, her son Scott Charton decided to put the two in somewhat close proximity. He and other family members organized a Ceres watch party early Thursday morning in the Sapphire Restaurant atop the DoubleTree Hotel.
Honey was only 7 months old when the statue of the goddess was placed in three pieces atop the dome. Her family lived in Arkansas at the time.
"She probably looks better than I do," Honey said while sitting over her breakfast in the restaurant. "She's beautiful - Greek-looking. There was a girl in my class who looked just like her."
Family and friends thought watching the removal of Ceres from the Capitol would be a fun event for Honey. The bronze, 10-foot, 4-inch goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships has stood atop the dome all these many years, withstanding all the elements, including lightning strikes. Crews took Ceres down for the first time so they could do much-needed repairs to the Capitol and to send her away for a "makeover."
The statue is to be sent to the Chicago-area for a little work.
Honey arrived at the hotel Wednesday evening. Her family had reserved a few tables on the north side of the restaurant, where Honey could watch the removal as it was underway.
"Oh, my God," she said as she looked through a pair of binoculars. "That is the tallest crane I have ever seen."
Honey said she would take her experience home and share it with her friends.
"It's a real pleasure to me," she said, "because all my friends want to know what happens."