They’ve witnessed a world at war, the first man on the moon and the invention of a computer that fits in your pocket. Three Utah centenarians have not just seen history — they’ve lived it.
Esther Orr, 104; Edward “Ed” A. Tully, 100; and Geraldine “Jerry” Pace, 100, have lived through some of the most spectacular and earth-shattering events. On Tuesday morning, they gathered at Sunrise Senior Living in Millcreek to share their stories and pass on the hard-won wisdom they have gained.
The childhoods of the three centenarians were vastly different from one another.
Growing up in the Great Depression
Orr grew up in a strictly European household with a Hungarian mother from Budapest and a traditional Austrian father. Her childhood was filled with culture and heart.
“We really looked after each other,” Orr recalled.
She remembers people from all over the world living in her European village, where a simple handshake and camaraderie were the norm. When the Great Depression hit, her father began building railroads to try to keep her family of eight afloat financially.
Tully grew up in New York City and witnessed the fall of Wall Street, which led to the depression. A native New Yorker, Tully remembers the utter shock of the depression firsthand.
“It was bad. I remember listening to the radio, hearing about people jumping out of windows to commit suicide because they lost everything,” Tully said.
Pace grew up in San Diego and doesn’t remember too many details of the Great Depression.
The three fondly recalled their free teenage years that followed the depression.
“I enjoyed it because we played together. We did all of our own games and everything,” Orr said. “The neighborhood kids would always ask to come play with us.”
Going to the movies was one of their favorite activities, back when seeing a double picture cost 10 cents and was followed by a 5-cent ice cream.
The world at war
Those happy teenage years were harshly interrupted by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Although some details are fuzzy, they all vividly recall the fear they felt when the U.S went to war.
“I remember Pearl Harbor very well,” Orr said. “Right after Pearl Harbor, my four brothers and myself volunteered to go in the service.”
Orr worked diligently to complete her training and assist where she could at the post office. After the war ended, she headed to the Pentagon and began working as a staff sergeant for a colonel.
Tully’s time during World War II, however, was spent on the front lines. “I was 17 when it (World War II) started, and I was drafted at 18. I was in combat when I was 19,” he said.
His service lasted two years, 11 months and eight days. He served throughout Germany, crossed the Rhine River to fight, and even remembers Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became president of the U.S., visiting his division to congratulate the soldiers. Tully said he even managed to avoid a similar disease to trench foot, all because he refused to wear his issued galoshes.
Pace remembers the rationing, most of all. She said that rationing affected her family the most during the war.
Throughout the entirety of World War II, each of these centenarians learned how to persevere and fight for what they believed in.
Love, family and purpose
Orr, Tully and Pace all met their spouses after the war. From Pentagon meetings, a classic movie date and a grade school romance, each of them shared how important their love was to them.
“She was entirely my first and only love,” Tully said. “I was married to her 62 years and nine months before she passed away 14 years ago.”
For Pace, her love spanned from her seventh-grade days to a long marriage. She said she loved “just about everything” about her husband, adding that “Bobby was the best-looking boy and the nicest boy in my class.”
The three said that they have no idea what dating is like today, but they loved the dating culture of their time. “It was a little more formal when we were younger,” Pace explained.
Today, Orr has four daughters and “many” grandchildren, Tully has two sons, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and Pace has three children and six grandchildren.
All of them credit their sense of adventure, family and love as one of the secrets to a long and happy life.
“I have two words that I live by: attitude and perseverance,” Orr shared. “My biggest lesson is the one my father taught us growing up: Always do well and always help other people. That’s what they did.”
On a physical level, Tully encourages everyone to listen to their doctors, their bodies and to try to eat healthy — with the exception of allowing for his three favorite desserts: apple pie, pumpkin pie and cheesecake.
Over the past 100 years, the group has witnessed significant changes throughout the country and the broader world. From typewriters to TikTok and World War II to 9/11, they have seen it all.
With their combined 300 years of experience, the trio hopes that people will continue to serve one another and follow their dreams.