Brent Evans, son-in-law of Juanita Herff Chipman, one of the twins who turned 100 years old earlier this week, told a group of family and friends on Saturday evening at Herff Farm that the twin girls did not have to blow out 200 candles before their birthday cakes were cut.
“We won’t do that to them,” he said.
He did, however, encourage anyone who had a glass in hand to raise it in honor of the sisters, who “have lived long, they have lived well and we all have been so lucky to have known them.”
He then led everyone in attendance to a rousing verse of “Happy Birthday.”
Evans, who married Carolyn Chipman to become part of the large and well-known Herff family, and then more than three decades ago helped the Cibolo Center for Conservation get off the ground, was the master of ceremonies for the gathering of family and friends at Herff Farm on Saturday night. During the event, Juanita and her twin, Carolyn Herff Kennon, the guests of honor, remained seated in their wheelchairs on the front porch of the old, restored farmhouse smiling, clapping, enjoying the festivities and visiting with guests.
The majority of people in attendance were family spanning several generations. When the family photo was taken on the porch after the ceremony, young and old alike crowded together to pose and form a who’s who of Herffs.
“We especially want to thank the family for their continued support of the Cibolo Center of Conservation, which has preserved this property,” Evans said. “And we also thank the larger community for its support.”
Boerne Mayor Tim Handren, who was scheduled to represent the city of Boerne at the event but couldn’t because of a family emergency, issued a proclamation in honor of April 17 – the date 100 years ago when the Herff twins were born. The proclamation referenced that Carolyn and Juanita are the great-great-grandchildren of one of Boerne’s founding fathers, D. Ferdinand Herff, and that the sisters were raised on the Herff Ranch along the Cibolo Creek and “have inspired the legacy of the land and enabled eight generations of Herff descendants to continue to enjoy and cherish it.”
Handren’s proclamation also declares the Herff twins have graced the community with their joyful presence and generosity for a century … and they encourage the community to learn, serve and resolve to preserve Texas’ natural heritage.
“Therefore, I, Tim Handren, mayor of the city of Boerne, Texas, do hereby proclaim April 17 as Herff Twins Day and encourage our citizens to express their gratitude for lived well lived on the occasion of their 100th birthday.”
Handren’s proclamation also mentioned the twins donating a portion of the Herff Ranch so Boerne High School could be built; how for the past 30 years they have supported conservation efforts in the community, such as the Cibolo Center for Conservation and the Cibolo Conservancy Land Trust; and how Carolyn donated the top of the historical Malakopf Mountain to the Cibolo for forever protection. The proclamation also made reference to Juanita’s “documented significant local history” through her book, “The Passing of Gifts.”
Before Evans gave his toast, several others paid tribute to the twins in their own way. And younger members of the family, Stella and Phoebe Evans, granddaughters of Carolyn and Brent, sang “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” as a tribute to the centurions.
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