She’s stubborn, funny, talkative, knowledgeable, and gracious.
She also is going strong at 101.
“I don’t feel any older today than I did yesterday. It just doesn’t happen overnight,” said Verna Bromley, surrounded by family and friends at her Aug. 16 birthday celebration. “I just try to live each day as it comes and make the most of each day.”
Bromley has packed a lot of good living in her days. She grew up on a 40-acre farm in Kent, went to college and became a schoolteacher. A devoted wife, beloved mother and grandmother, Bromley has lived in the Auburn area for 57 years.
Today, she appears fit and sharp, brimming with fond memories of her childhood.
“I remember riding in a 1936 Buick when they were just putting through I-5 from Portland to Seattle,” she recalled. “There was so much dust.”
Bromley captivated family and friends huddled in the living room of her Auburn home on her birthday.
“She has a mind that’s amazing,” said her nurse and caregiver, Hope Linder. “She is a brilliant woman who has many interesting stories to share. She doesn’t forget a thing.”
Born in Kent to Swedish immigrants, Bromley and her three siblings helped out on the farm, learning the importance of hard work, sacrifice and a respect for nature. She graduated from Kent High School at age 16, received her teaching degree at Central Washington before beginning her career in the classroom at 19.
She and Mel Bromley, a longtime business owner, were married for 38 years before the family patriarch’s passing in 1975.
Strong willed and independent, Bromley continued to drive a car until she was 98.
She has a son, Jim Bromley, a daughter, Carolynn Clutinger, and five grandchildren. Her first great-grandchild, a girl, is due in October.
A crossword puzzle pro, Bromley also enjoys reading, painting and singing. She was active at United Methodist Church. She is a longtime “Days of Our Lives” follower. An excellent cook, Bromley is renowned by family for her potato salad, apple and lemon meringue pies.
Bromley has no secret to her longevity, just a commitment to faith, family and friends.
“Don’t plan far ahead because things change,” she offered. “Work hard, be sincere in everything and be honest.”
