World War II veteran celebrates 100th birthday in Monument: 'I'm flabbergasted'

Feb. 19—Marie West, a World War II veteran who lives in Monument, says she can barely comprehend how long she's lived.

"All my life I could remember 100-year-old people, and I went, 'I will never get there,'" West said. "But here I am!"

More than 100 relatives, friends and admirers gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Monument on Saturday to wish West a happy centennial birthday. Dozens of people lined the church hall, waiting their turn for an audience with the "birthday girl," many of them wanting to know the secret sauce for living to be 100.

"There's no real secret, I guess," she said. "Just keep busy. Stay active."

Longevity runs in West's family, she said. Several maternal relatives lived well into their 90s, and one aunt lived to be 104.

"I'm flabbergasted, when I sit and think about it," she said.

When one guest remarked that he had recently turned 70, West chuckled.

"Oh, you're just a kid," she said.

Marie Lois Rosburg was born Feb. 14, 1923, in McCallsburg, Iowa. The oldest of eight children — all born at home — she grew up on a farm and attended a school that housed all grades, from kindergarten through 12th, in a single building.

Life on the farm could be difficult, especially during the Depression years, but West has many fond memories of catching sunfish in a nearby creek, listening to radio programs with her family, playing marbles with her siblings and listening to her father play the accordion.

"We were just happy as bugs in rugs," she said. "Nowadays, there's all this technology, all these games and electronics. ... I have a hard time fathoming it."

When the U.S. became involved in World War II, West thought enlisting would be "the right thing to do," especially because her father was "too old and had too many kids" to join the military.

"But you had to be 20 years old in order to enlist," she said.

So West bided her time, working at an ammunition manufacturing plant, until she was of age. In 1943, she joined the Navy's service corps — the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, or WAVES.

After completing boot camp and receiving training as an aviation mechanic, West was assigned to a blimp squadron in California.

"I overhauled starters and generators for the blimp engines," said West, who advanced to petty officer second class before separating from the Navy in 1945. "It was a pretty good job."

In 1949, she moved back to Iowa with her husband Russ, whom she met and married in California, and their daughter Lois. They had two more daughters, Connie and Patsy, and moved to California before Russ and Marie divorced.

West continued raising the girls on her own, working as a manager of an apartment house in Redondo Beach while the girls took babysitting jobs to make ends meet. Later, after the girls married and moved away, West's youngest daughter Patsy talked her into moving to Colorado. Aside from a brief stay in Iowa to care for her ailing mother, she has lived in Colorado since 1991.

"Her story is unbelievable," said Monument Mayor Mitch LaKind, who stopped by the party to pay his respects. "She was a real-life Rosie the Riveter type. It's important to honor (World War II veterans), especially because there aren't that many left."

Despite breaking a hip in a fall a few years ago, West said she's in good health. She remains active in the church, serving as a volunteer in the children's ministry.

"She's an incredible person," said longtime friend Tamara Schwarz. "She's everybody's Grandma."

In lieu of birthday gifts, West requested donations to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Veterans' Fund.

During breaks between hugs, kisses and handshakes, West would look around the venue at all her friends and loved ones, and reflect on her life to this point. In addition to her three daughters, she has eight grandchildren, more than a dozen great-grandchildren and a newborn great-great-granddaughter.

Every relative who could make it was at the party, packed into the church with dozens of friends and admirers, to celebrate a birthday West never thought she'd see.

"I've been blessed in my life," she said. "All I can do is thank the good Lord."

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