In August, Summit Square marked a remarkable milestone: Margaret “Meg” Haislip, one of the community’s most cherished residents, turned 100. Her life is a tapestry of resilience, laughter, and quiet generosity—a century lived fully, without pretense, and with a clear sense of joy.
Meg was born in 1925 in Roanoke, Virginia, and proudly calls herself a “railroad child.” Her father worked for the railroad, and her early years were shaped by the rhythm of that life. During the Depression, when she was barely three, her parents moved her briefly to Stewartsville, to a small home in the country she would later call “the enchanted cottage.” Though she was so young, she still remembers the simplicity of those days: no electricity, no running water, no central heat, and long afternoons spent outdoors. She often marvels at how her mother managed to keep the family going through such difficult years. Their stay was short—the family soon relocated to Clifton Forge to care for a sick grandfather—but even fleetingly, those early days left a lasting imprint.
Meg’s childhood unfolded in the rhythm of her father’s work, moving from town to town, carrying her curiosity and resilience with her. Along the way, she encountered teachers who inspired her, friendships that shaped her, and communities that nurtured her spirit. As a young woman, she discovered a love for dancing, and on a blind date at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, she met Wade “Scotty” Haislip, then a student at Washington and Lee. Scotty’s family owned a half-million-dollar wholesale baking business with multiple locations. Together, Meg and Scotty built their own life in Greenville—running a farm, raising cattle and sheep, and opening their doors to neighbors and friends—crafting a life defined by labor, rhythm, and generosity.
Meg and Scotty raised a son and shared decades together before Scotty passed in 2004. The following year, Meg moved to Summit Square, beginning what would become twenty years of deep community, purpose, and joy.
Even at 100, she continues to give of herself. Meg is one of Summit Square’s original Ambassadors, greeting new residents with warmth, arranging flowers in communal spaces, and knitting baby hats that travel as far as Pakistan or remain locally, brightening hospital nurseries. “It gives me something to do with my hands while I’m at doctor’s appointments,” she said, “and it helps someone else at the same time.”
Asked the secret to her longevity, she laughs without hesitation: “All that beer and bourbon.” Yet beneath the humor lies a life marked by gratitude, connection, and delight. “I’ve had too much fun to have any wisdom,” she admits, though her life story suggests otherwise.
Her 100th birthday reflected that life—a day filled with flowers, laughter, and gatherings, with family traveling from Florida and Georgia, and a celebratory dinner hosted by beloved nieces and other family at The Green Leaf in downtown Waynesboro. “I couldn’t believe the attention,” she said, touched by the love surrounding her.
Meg’s century reminds us that joy resides in community, in generosity, and in simple pleasures: a stroll through a garden, a Saturday-night dance, or the flowers that brighten a room. Summit Square celebrates not just her 100 years, but the enduring laughter, grace, and generosity she continues to share with everyone around her.
