Meet the twin sisters who are celebrating turning 100 together

Doris Ward and Loris Pryor were born back in 1924.

Meet the twin sisters who are celebrating turning 100 together
Courtesy of Quantanise Williams
July 19, 2024, 3:39 PM

When Doris Ward and her twin sister Loris Pryor were born back on July 17, 1924, President Herbert Hoover had just been sworn in four months prior, the classic Caesar salad had just made its debut and the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade hadn't even kicked off yet.

In the century since, Ward and Pryor, who are originally from Illinois, have seen a lot unfold and embraced life, all while dancing to the music.

Doris Ward and her twin sister Loris Pryor turned 100 years old on July 17, 2024.
Courtesy of Quantanise Williams

The sisters told Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ they hadn't thought about living such long lives but they are grateful all the same.

"To live this long, I never thought it would happen or not happen. I never thought about it," Pryor said.

"All I can say is that it's a blessing to be here at 100 years old," Ward added.

Doris Ward and Loris Pryor are originally from Illinois. The twin sisters now live in Detroit.
Courtesy of Quantanise Williams

The two sisters are matriarchs of four generations. According to Ward's great-granddaughter Quantanise Williams, Ward, a mother of eight, is also a grandmother of 15 and has 25 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren. Pryor has a son, a grandson, great-grandchild and a great-great-grandchild.

Doris Ward and Loris Pryor loved to dance when they were younger.
Courtesy of Quantanise Williams

Ward's youngest daughter Lashawne Williams told "Good Morning America" both her mother and aunt are "doing wonderful."

"They're great for their age," the 57-year-old said.

The twin sisters marked their 100th birthdays together with a large celebration last Saturday.

Their extended family members and friends joined them for the remarkable party at Rosedale Park Baptist Church in Detroit, complete with a live band, balloons, a custom birthday cake and more.

Twin sisters Doris Ward and Loris Pryor had a special custom birthday cake for their 100th birthday party on July 13. The siblings turned 100 on July 17, 2024.
Courtesy of Quantanise Williams

"Over 100 or something people was there and people came as far as Tennessee, Ohio, Chicago, Alabama. So, they came from all over," Williams said.

Williams' older sisters, Anise Donaldson, 70, and Wanda Barden, 81, also told "GMA" their mom and aunt, whom they described as having "bubbly" and "lively" personalities, have always done "everything together," especially line dancing and ballroom dancing.

"When [my mother] was younger, [she] loved to dance. She'd outdance everybody," Donaldson said. "And our favorite thing was that, we did a lot of traveling together to the casinos, [Las] Vegas. I call her 'my road dog.'"

Barden added that Pryor "was a great cook," whose signature dish was a homemade roast.

But the siblings said they want others to know that above all else, Ward and Pryor have always taught them the importance of friendship and kindness.

"One of the things that I appreciate over and over is how they help us to appreciate people," Barden said. "I still know people's names on the block when I was in elementary school because we had to speak to everyone, so I think it has helped me to be a people person. I travel all over the world, but knowing how people warm up to me is because of what they put in me, I really appreciate that."

"My mother and Aunt Loris never had an enemy. Everybody on this earth loved them," Barden added. "Nothing not to like about them, and that's rare."