Happy 96th birthday Arline – you’ve lived quite a life

Arline Harrison celebrated her 96th birthday Sept. 25 — she was born in the year 1924.
The Quincy resident moved to town from Ashland, Oregon, with her husband, Bill Harrison, 58 years ago, after he was offered a mill-wright position at the mill in Sloat.

Arline has had a fascinating life with incredible stories to tell. She was the first female worker in a cannery warehouse (upstairs by herself making the boxes for packaging). She volunteered for years at the food bank, the Pink Ladies, and also at the Quincy convalescent home. She would gather stuffed animals from yard sales and bring them to the facility so the patients would have something to give to their grandchildren when they came to visit.

She provided childcare for many Quincy residents, who have long since grown up (one day she remembers having a total of 35 children come and go — “but they never gave me a lick of trouble.”

Arline is no-nonsense from the word go. She is feisty and says, “Well, Daddy died when I was five, so I would have to stick up for myself.”

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She recalls as a sophomore in high school going to a teacher and telling him he’d better change her grade as she deserved a higher one. She was ready to take the teacher before the principal if he didn’t take her seriously. “I deserved a better grade,” she said. Her grade was changed. When you’re right, you’re right.

Since her father died when she was young and her “Mama had a family to raise,” Arline struck out on her own at 14 to room in a boarding house, and finish high school. She would babysit for 10 cents an hour.

She loved to roller skate and after being able to save 35 cents would go roller skating on her day off from work. She recalls fondly, “Mama did everything for her kids, she was a good Mama.”

When asked about her favorite food, corn on the cob was her answer. Vanilla ice cream was also on the list – with caramel topping.

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Anything on her bucket list she is still wanting to do? No, she’s very content with her life. “Most everything makes me happy.”

When asked what would she would tell someone who is thinking of moving to Quincy, she said immediately, “Oh, it’s a wonderful place.”

Arline is part of the reason Quincy is such a wonderful place to live.

Happy Birthday to you Arline, and many more!