When I first met and interviewed Miss Rosemary Quinn last fall for our December issue profile story, I was charmed by the petite, 108-year-old former schoolteacher.

Confining her story to three pages in the magazine was like trying to pour 10 gallons of cream into a five-gallon jar. Rosemary’s remarkable memories included growing up with three sisters in Morrilton and Vian, the 40 years she and her sister Grace Marie spent teaching school in Cheyenne, Wyo., and all her years since.

Once in a while someone you’re writing a story about deserves a book, instead. Miss Quinn says she should have started writing memoirs when she was younger and could see better – in her 70s or 80s, perhaps.

Last month, when I finally got to visit her again, Miss Quinn had just celebrated another birthday and I couldn’t resist asking how she would rate this latest one, on a scale of 1 to 109.

“Oh, it was the best!” she instantly replied. “The last one is always the best. I had a wonderful day.”

Highlights of the day included fifthgrade students from nearby Barling Elementary School showing up to sing for her and deliver a huge card they had made and signed, along with the message, “Happy Birthday ... 109, Wow!”

Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker also came to congratulate her and shower her with 109 rose petals. A busload of friends from Willowbrook, where she formerly lived, were surprise guests for her party.

“It was hard to tell which she enjoyed most, the kids or the mayor,” Ashton Place administrator Bob Martin said. He credited activities director Betty West and admissions administrator Rose Gean for organizing Miss Quinn’s birthday bash, which he said was attended by about 60 people in addition to Ashton nurses, staff and personnel.

A local TV crew also showed up to record the event, which aired on the
evening news.

Other special guests at Miss Quinn’s party included her niece Nancy Ross and Nancy’s husband, Rudd Ross Jr., of Fort Smith, Gene and Ruth Bruick (who also brought Rosemary a card nearly as tall as she is) and another friend, Lynn Creekmore.

“Mayor Baker hasn’t missed one of Miss Quinn’s birthdays since she turned 100, and Lynn Creekmore hasn’t missed one since 1990,” Martin noted.

Martin said he once asked the never-married Miss Quinn to share her formula for living such a long, healthy life and she just replied, “I’ve always enjoyed myself and tried not to let anything bother me.”

On the morning of her birthday, he added, Miss Quinn got to enjoy sleeping
late, getting her hair done and ordering anything she wanted for lunch and supper. (Her choices – peeled shrimp for lunch, scrambled eggs and bacon for supper.)

Gifts from family and friends were chocolates (one of her favorite treats), several small personal items and flowers, including a bouquet from a cousin in Davenport, Iowa.

During our visit after her birthday, Rosemary said she had enjoyed her story in the magazine and that copies of it had been requested and sent to many friends and former students in Cheyenne, and to relatives and friends in Morrilton. She also invited me to visit again and I plan to do so whenever possible.

When you’ve been interviewing and writing about people as long as I have (starting in Miss Agent’s journalism class at Ramsey Junior High for the Ram Page school paper), you’re going to meet all types. But only a few will be inspiring and unforgettable. Miss Rosemary Quinn is definitely in that category. Long may she continue with good health and happy birthdays.

(Photo courtesy of Ashton Place)

 

Linda Seubold, editor of Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine, can be reached at lindaseubold@efortsmith.com. Read her archived columns and articles online.

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