MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WVLT) -- She has dedicated her life in East Tennessee to what started as a hobby more than 50 years ago, but that soon turned into a passion for flying.

And, Wednesday, the woman known by many as "Mama Bird" celebrated a very special milestone

Volunteer TV has featured this high flying woman several times over the years.

With awards, halls of fame inductions, even a world record, all because of her love for flying. And, that has not faded at all, as she celebrates her 100Th Birthday!

5 days a week you can find Evelyn Bryan Johnson at the Moore-Murrell Airport in Morristown, still working as the operator of the small air-field.

"For many years, like 50 of them, at least, I'd come everyday, 7days a week," she said.

But before her decades in the air, her husband enlisted in the Air Force, days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Left to run their dry cleaning business, the long days left her wanting to get away from it all, and a newspaper served as her guide. "It was about a 3 inch square and it simply said learn to fly, well I said that's for me, that's what I'll do," she said as she smiles.

She got her license to fly privately in 1944 and worked for several years to reach new levels of flight, until Mama Bird started teaching others. "So, I thought I'll just get an instructor rating, and teach people to fly, never realizing I would enjoy it so much," she added.

Each year her former students gather for her Birthday, as they all celebrate the passion that has inspired.

"It was love at first flight, and about 65 years later, which is along in now, it still is."

Over the years, Evelyn has won awards, been inducted into several halls of fame, and she still holds the world record for the most flight hours of any woman, at nearly 60,000.

All of which is her secret to reaching triple-digits.

"Doing what you like to do, enjoying your work, staying in good health," and she added, "Just be as happy as you can."

Evelyn hasn't piloted a plane in about 3 years because of her health, but she still rides whenever she can.