Eunice Whiting, who moved to Montesano in 1949 with her husband Harold, recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
Eunice Whiting currently resides at Colonial Inn Independent Retirement Apartments in Olympia. Her family joined her to celebrate her birthday. They had carrot cake with no raisins, at Eunice’s request.
What follows is excepts from a letter written by Sandy Michael, marketing manager at Colonial Inn Independent Retirement Apartments:
Eunice was born on a homestead near Hebron, North Dakota, on Oct. 20, 1918, to James and Clara Johnson. She grew up with two sisters and four brothers.
During her high school years, she loved to dance. There were no sports offered at her school, and Eunice danced as often as possible. Her companion to dances and to spend time with was Harold Whiting. Asked if it was love at first sight, she said, “No, but he grew on me.” That relationship lasted 66 years. Eunice graduated in 1936 and married Harold in 1937. It was hard to find work in Zap, North Dakota their hometown. If you didn’t speak German, jobs were scarce.
In 1942, Bremerton, Washington, was their new home. Harold worked at the Navy shipyard. Life was good and their first child, Earl, was born.
Though pregnant with her second child, Eunice began working at the Navy shipyard (in 1945) as a rail freight checker while her husband (was recovering from tuberculosis).
Eunice’s second child, a sweet baby girl named Gay Patrice, was born in August 1946.
In 1949 Eunice and her husband moved to Montesano and bought a shoe repair business. They also sold men’s and boys’ shoes. Harold worked the business and Eunice stayed home with the children, ran the home and always had a wonderful home cooked meal on the table every evening.
In 1961, her son graduated from high school and headed to Grays Harbor Community College, and Eunice was right alongside him. Eunice took the (licensed practical nurse) courses and loved every minute of it. After graduating she worked at the Aberdeen Hospital with medications as her specialty. She loved nursing and eventually took her second nursing job at Oakhurst in Elma. Eunice had a 20-year career in nursing.
In 1965, they sold the shoe repair business. Harold began working at a saw mill. Eunice was always proud of her husband’s work ethic and reinventing himself. In 1969, Harold and Earl started a logging truck business, which soon grew into over 20 trucks. Gay studied education at Central State College and was a teacher for more than 40 years in the Renton School District. Eunice’s grin increased as she spoke of her children’s accomplishments.
Eunice and her husband retired in 1981.
Eunice lost Harold in 2003 after 66 married years and more than 80 years of knowing each other. Eunice shared it was the hardest time in her life. Eunice experienced a second loss in 2015, when her son Earl passed away.
In 2012 Eunice moved into the Colonial Inn Independent Retirement Apartments in Olympia. Asking Eunice about how she fills her days now. Her mornings begin with coffee, toast and fruit. She listens to audio books because, now at 100 years old, her eyesight is failing. She just completed “The Thornbirds.” She attends Bible study, plays cards and cherishes all family time.
Eunice has 5 grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
When asked what advice she would want to share with the younger generation, her reply was, “No extremes, and stay close to God.”
Her family with be celebrating her birthday with a wonderful lunch and carrot cake. Hold the raisins Eunice doesn’t like them.
