By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
There were centuries of stories in one room Monday during the annual 90s Plus Spectacular celebrating Older Americans Month in Bowling Green.
More than 70 local residents aged 90 and older were honored for their longevity. One by one, they were recognized as stories were shared about their years gone by.
“Longevity is something we can celebrate now as people are living longer and healthier,” said Danielle Brogley, director of programming at the Wood County Committee on Aging.
Take John Searle, 90, of Perrysburg, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, and served in the 89th Infantry in Europe, crossing the Reine with General Patton. Searle was among the troops who overran the first concentration camp in Ohrdruf, Germany.
After the war, he started classes at BGSU, where he met his future wife. They went on to 42 years of marriage, with four sons, four daughter-in-laws, and four grandchildren.
Searle was the pastor at Trinity Methodist Church in Bowling Green for 42 years, during which he performed 632 baptisms, 728 funerals and 437 weddings.
Now, Searle’s life is much less demanding. “What do I do? As little as possible,” he said with a grin. “I’ve been on vacation for 25 years.”
There were the expected stories of several marriages lasting more than half a century, men serving bravely in World War II, women focusing on families and home.
But there were many surprises behind the aged guests.
Crowd at 90-plus event.
There was Jean Atha, who worked at the ClaZel theater, and still loves riding the Witch’s Wheel at Cedar Point. Doris Bringman, 95, a former physical education teacher at Elmwood, who lives in the same house she was born in. And Selma Colony, 93, who graduated from University of Toledo 35 years after she first enrolled.
Hazel Dueble once milked a musk ox. Jane Ericson was once photographed with Barbara Bush, “who many dubbed her twin.” Geraldine Gibson, 91, tap danced for 60 years. And Nancy Gilmore, 91, owned three motorcycles, a boat and antique cars.
Berthajean Hedges has been a member of Plain Congregational Church for all of her 91 years. Dorothy Heilman, 94, who is known for her apple and rhubarb pies, escaped a tornado in 1953 by piling into a car with nine people and a dog.
Eileen and Victor Herringshaw, both 92, have been married 72 years, and both served more than 50 years as 4-H advisers. Bertha Honner, 90, spent a month during her youth traveling through Europe with four friends. They dubbed themselves “the flexible five.”
James Hunt, 95, built oil tanks all over the world and married his wife in Australia. Wayne Keller was in a barbershop quartet for 35 years, and was a mechanic on a bomber that flew 28 days during the blitz on Japan.
Ruth Klopfenstein worked in an ammunition factory during the war. Her husband brought a bushel basket full of pop bottles into the store where she was working to woo her before their first date. Isabelle Ladd, 91, a nurse, helped deliver a baby on a farm during a bad snow storm. Kay MacKinnon, 95, analyzed copper and zinc for the Army.
Bob Lober, a lineman for the telephone company, once helped a solder in Alaska so he wouldn’t freeze to death. Twenty years later, the soldier sent Lober a letter thanking him. Dorothy Roe, 90, boasted of having 55 grandchildren.
Elfreda Rusher, 99, listens to program.
Elfreda Rusher, 99, was one of the first women to get her doctorate in business education at BGSU. She taught a total of 38 years. Buck Spitler, 91, served in the Civil Conservation Corps in Arizona then went on to serve in General Patton’s Army in France.
Rosa Williams, who waited four years for her husband to return from war, wrote him letters in code during his absence. And Lucille Wood, the only 100-year-old present, built gun turrets for bombing during the war. She now gets enjoyment from playing cards and gardening.
Each senior received a corsage, dinner, harp serenade, and a plaque presented by the Wood County commissioners and Bowling Green mayor.
And Searle, the retired pastor, stepped right back into his clergy role to say the prayer before the seniors ate their meals.
The annual event is sponsored by Wood County Committee on Aging, with support from Otterbein Portage Valley, Kingston of Perrysburg, Wood Haven Health Care, Heritage Corner Health Care Campus, Waterford at Levis Commons, Brookdale of Bowling Green, and Grand Rapids Care Center.
