Being able to witness a birthday of a loved one is always a special occasion. But it is even more special when the birthday is a super special one of a grandparent.
It is so important to remember the stories and experiences of our elders. And this grandma from Oregon has some incredible memories everyone should hear!
Marianne Tormey celebrated her 100th birthday in the midst of all her family and friends. While she had been born in Minnesota, she spent the last 71 years of her life in Oregon!
She grew up in a big family, having five sisters and four brothers. The family lived a peaceful life on a self-sustaining farm. Marianna only spoke German before she went to school in the first grade. Later on, she had to convince her parents to let her complete high school.
She had been in the only person in her family who went to high school. Even getting to her school was no easy task! She had to walk over a mile on school days, and for the last two years of school, she lived with her sister in order to be able to get to and from school more easily.
She graduated in 1940, in a class of 30 students. The farmhouse she grew up on did not even have indoor plumbing. The family used an outhouse located on their property, even in the blistering cold Minnesota winters!
They survived the Great Depression on the same farm! To make things more lively, the family would have danced on the farm, which Tormey’s father called, ‘square dances.’
She even recalls the family using their horse and buggy as transportation to visit other family members who lived nearby. She vividly recalls her first car, which was a Model T that had canvas curtains instead of windows! The car also had no gas pedal on the floorboard; it was just a lever next to the steering wheel.
She moved to Oregon in 1951. After getting married, she had four daughters. For her career, she was an independent house cleaner for lifelong clients. She also volunteered for the local Meals on Wheels program.
Her family says that while Marianna Tormey might be 100 years old, her memory is still incredibly sharp! She still has a number of hobbies, which include gardening, reading, crossword puzzles as well as card games. Tormey is now a great-grandmother and enjoys spending time with family which includes her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Join us in wishing Marianne Tormey a very happy 100th birthday! She truly has lived a fascinating life, and seen the country undergo so many changes!
Share this piece with others to show them how much life has changed in the last 100 years.
