CORVALLIS, Oregon / Corvallis Gazette Times / December 17, 2008
By Rhett Register
Gazette-Times reporter
Clarice Pearson turned 110 years old Wednesday, and celebrities from near and far paid tribute.
The Oregon native began the special day with NBC weatherman Willard Scott wishing her a nationally broadcast happy birthday on “The Today Show.”
At 114, the oldest person in the United States is Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles, who also is the second-oldest person in the world. Born to former slaves on April 6, 1894, she also is the nation’s oldest African American.
Clarice Pearson celebrates her 110th birthday Wednesday.
Scobel Wiggins | Gazette-Times
Clarice’s birthday places her in the growing demographic of “super-centenarians” — people who have lived at least 110 years.
In recognition of her milestone, Corvallis Mayor Charlie Tomlinson declaring Dec. 17, 2008, as Clarice Pearson Day in a proclamation that praised her longevity and work ethic.
It’s an ethic that dates back to the waning years of the 19th century. She was born Clara Francis Hurner in Portland on Dec. 17, 1898. Her mother, a distant relative of Red Cross founder Clara Barton, came to Oregon via wagon train. Her father had emigrated from Switzerland. The family moved to a farm in Carlton when Clara was 2. She graduated as salutatorian from Carlton High School in 1916 and married her neighbor Emil Pearson in June 1919, after he returned from World War I. She started to use Clarice as her first name.
Clarice and Emil were married 74 years, farming in Carlton for all but a brief time in LaGrande on his family’s farm. After Emil’s death in 1993 at age 96, she continued living at the farm until she was 101.
Now a resident of West Hills Assisted Living Facility, Pearson credits her long life to plenty of good food, no tobacco or alcohol, and lots of hard work on the farm. She did everything from milking cows to preparing meals for up to 20 farm hands. At harvest or planting, she also worked in the fields.
“I could run a tractor as well as anyone. I could plow or disk -.
“It was a good place to raise two boys. As a family, we worked together and got along real well.”
She and Emil enjoyed seeing the world as well. They visited all 50 states and more than 60 countries, including China, Iran, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. She visited her husband’s Swedish relatives and even met with a tribal chief in Africa.
As if farming weren’t enough, Clarice had jobs as a long distance telephone operator, attended business college and worked her way up to first teller at Carlton State and Savings bank.
She is not afraid of hard times. Her comment about the Great Depression: “Those come around from time to time. You have to take it as it comes -. At least when it was hard times, we could kill a chicken, and we had a garden.”
When he takes office Jan. 20, Barack Obama will be the 20th president during her lifetime. Her favorite was Dwight D. Eisenhower. “He did a good job,” she said.
Although a child of the 19th century, Clarice is a woman involved in the 21st century. She’s a member of First Baptist Church of Carlton. Her sons, Erwin of Philomath and Roger of Lake Havasu, Ariz., were among those noting the day, along with her seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Oh, and maybe a few million national TV viewers and local civic leaders.
Copyright © 2009 Corvallis Gazette Times,
December 17, 2008
USA: Oregon woman turns 110
.
Clarice Pearson receives national shout-out as well as a local tribute
CORVALLIS, Oregon / Corvallis Gazette Times / December 17, 2008
By Rhett Register
Gazette-Times reporter
Clarice Pearson turned 110 years old Wednesday, and celebrities from near and far paid tribute.
The Oregon native began the special day with NBC weatherman Willard Scott wishing her a nationally broadcast happy birthday on “The Today Show.”
At 114, the oldest person in the United States is Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles, who also is the second-oldest person in the world. Born to former slaves on April 6, 1894, she also is the nation’s oldest African American.
Clarice Pearson celebrates her 110th birthday Wednesday.
Scobel Wiggins | Gazette-Times
Clarice’s birthday places her in the growing demographic of “super-centenarians” — people who have lived at least 110 years.
In recognition of her milestone, Corvallis Mayor Charlie Tomlinson declaring Dec. 17, 2008, as Clarice Pearson Day in a proclamation that praised her longevity and work ethic.
It’s an ethic that dates back to the waning years of the 19th century. She was born Clara Francis Hurner in Portland on Dec. 17, 1898. Her mother, a distant relative of Red Cross founder Clara Barton, came to Oregon via wagon train. Her father had emigrated from Switzerland. The family moved to a farm in Carlton when Clara was 2. She graduated as salutatorian from Carlton High School in 1916 and married her neighbor Emil Pearson in June 1919, after he returned from World War I. She started to use Clarice as her first name.
Clarice and Emil were married 74 years, farming in Carlton for all but a brief time in LaGrande on his family’s farm. After Emil’s death in 1993 at age 96, she continued living at the farm until she was 101.
Now a resident of West Hills Assisted Living Facility, Pearson credits her long life to plenty of good food, no tobacco or alcohol, and lots of hard work on the farm. She did everything from milking cows to preparing meals for up to 20 farm hands. At harvest or planting, she also worked in the fields.
“I could run a tractor as well as anyone. I could plow or disk -.
“It was a good place to raise two boys. As a family, we worked together and got along real well.”
She and Emil enjoyed seeing the world as well. They visited all 50 states and more than 60 countries, including China, Iran, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. She visited her husband’s Swedish relatives and even met with a tribal chief in Africa.
As if farming weren’t enough, Clarice had jobs as a long distance telephone operator, attended business college and worked her way up to first teller at Carlton State and Savings bank.
She is not afraid of hard times. Her comment about the Great Depression: “Those come around from time to time. You have to take it as it comes -. At least when it was hard times, we could kill a chicken, and we had a garden.”
When he takes office Jan. 20, Barack Obama will be the 20th president during her lifetime. Her favorite was Dwight D. Eisenhower. “He did a good job,” she said.
Although a child of the 19th century, Clarice is a woman involved in the 21st century. She’s a member of First Baptist Church of Carlton. Her sons, Erwin of Philomath and Roger of Lake Havasu, Ariz., were among those noting the day, along with her seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Oh, and maybe a few million national TV viewers and local civic leaders.
Copyright © 2009 Corvallis Gazette Times,
CORVALLIS, Oregon / Corvallis Gazette Times / December 17, 2008
By Rhett Register
Gazette-Times reporter
Clarice Pearson turned 110 years old Wednesday, and celebrities from near and far paid tribute.
The Oregon native began the special day with NBC weatherman Willard Scott wishing her a nationally broadcast happy birthday on “The Today Show.”
At 114, the oldest person in the United States is Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles, who also is the second-oldest person in the world. Born to former slaves on April 6, 1894, she also is the nation’s oldest African American.
Clarice Pearson celebrates her 110th birthday Wednesday.
Scobel Wiggins | Gazette-Times
Clarice’s birthday places her in the growing demographic of “super-centenarians” — people who have lived at least 110 years.
In recognition of her milestone, Corvallis Mayor Charlie Tomlinson declaring Dec. 17, 2008, as Clarice Pearson Day in a proclamation that praised her longevity and work ethic.
It’s an ethic that dates back to the waning years of the 19th century. She was born Clara Francis Hurner in Portland on Dec. 17, 1898. Her mother, a distant relative of Red Cross founder Clara Barton, came to Oregon via wagon train. Her father had emigrated from Switzerland. The family moved to a farm in Carlton when Clara was 2. She graduated as salutatorian from Carlton High School in 1916 and married her neighbor Emil Pearson in June 1919, after he returned from World War I. She started to use Clarice as her first name.
Clarice and Emil were married 74 years, farming in Carlton for all but a brief time in LaGrande on his family’s farm. After Emil’s death in 1993 at age 96, she continued living at the farm until she was 101.
Now a resident of West Hills Assisted Living Facility, Pearson credits her long life to plenty of good food, no tobacco or alcohol, and lots of hard work on the farm. She did everything from milking cows to preparing meals for up to 20 farm hands. At harvest or planting, she also worked in the fields.
“I could run a tractor as well as anyone. I could plow or disk -.
“It was a good place to raise two boys. As a family, we worked together and got along real well.”
She and Emil enjoyed seeing the world as well. They visited all 50 states and more than 60 countries, including China, Iran, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. She visited her husband’s Swedish relatives and even met with a tribal chief in Africa.
As if farming weren’t enough, Clarice had jobs as a long distance telephone operator, attended business college and worked her way up to first teller at Carlton State and Savings bank.
She is not afraid of hard times. Her comment about the Great Depression: “Those come around from time to time. You have to take it as it comes -. At least when it was hard times, we could kill a chicken, and we had a garden.”
When he takes office Jan. 20, Barack Obama will be the 20th president during her lifetime. Her favorite was Dwight D. Eisenhower. “He did a good job,” she said.
Although a child of the 19th century, Clarice is a woman involved in the 21st century. She’s a member of First Baptist Church of Carlton. Her sons, Erwin of Philomath and Roger of Lake Havasu, Ariz., were among those noting the day, along with her seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Oh, and maybe a few million national TV viewers and local civic leaders.
Copyright © 2009 Corvallis Gazette Times,
