Imagine living long enough to have seen 17 presidents come and go and lived through the Roaring 20’s, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, a man on the moon, the Disco era, Y2K and election of the first African-American president? 

 

How about being on the planet when the Mexican Revolution occurred or when the Chicago Cubs — this year’s World Series champions — played their first game at Wrigley Field?

 

How about living through two World Wars and two centuries?

 

Well, one local man has and Thursday of this week, he celebrated his 100th birthday.

 

Clarence Oliver Olson blew out his candles on his huge cake in front of family and friends Thursday in his home off 117th Street. 

 

To get a feel for the kind of family and friends he’s inspired over the years, the party guests presented him with a chocolate cake donned with trick candles. His well-wishers watched in glee as the century-old man huffed and puffed to try and extinguish the illuminated tallows.

 

In amazement, he had enough breath to douse the candles and smile proudly in his accomplishment, just like he’s been doing through 10 decades of hard work, skill and energy.

 

“Boy that’s a big birthday cake,” Clarence said out loud after his battle with the candles.

 

Clarence was born Nov. 10, 1916 to Olaf and Mary (Ellefson) Olson of Becker. He is one of 10 children who include brothers Murlin, Marvin, Lester and Dwight and sisters, Harriet, Audrey (Schaapveld), Ethel (Linquist), Arlene (Johnson) and Leona (Kadrmas).

 

Clarence went to school at the Kragero one-room school near Santiago, walking seven-to-10 miles a day, one way to get his education. 

 

After eighth grade, he and his brother Marvin a few years later hit the road with the Civilian Conservation Corps to Oregon to work in the public work relief program. It was there that Clarence learned construction and manual labor and most, if not all, of his money earned was mailed back to the family during the 1930’s.

 

Eventually, Clarence made his way back to Minnesota and when he did, he met the love of his life, Grace and settled in Becker Twp.

 

Clarence bought his wife’s parent’s property on 117th Street, just east of Co. Rd. 11 and started farming. He raised cows and grew crops and later on, he built pole barns and homes and did some remodeling on the side.

 

Clarence was never one to sit around the house. He enjoyed working with his hands and being outdoors and has enjoyed that lifestyle all the way up until about two or three years ago where arthritis and some vision issues forced him to give up driving a car and his tractor.

 

Clarence and Grace were married for 53 years and raised seven children of their own in Robert, Judy, Rosemary, Jim, Barb, Rick and Michael. Robert, Judy and Rick still live in Becker while Rosemary moved to Cushing, Barb to Monticello and Jim to Princeton.

 

Michael died in an automobile accident in 1975.

 

The farm Clarence still lives on today is being farmed and cared for by his son, Rick and his family. The 250 acres no longer houses dozens of cows, but is home to at least a half-a-dozen or so wild cats in the yard.

 

“Dad still gives the orders for farming,” said Rick, laughingly.

 

Clarence was the chief builder of all but two of the buildings at the Country Lumber business along Bank Street. The current owners paid tribute to Clarence by putting his initials, “COO” on the side of one of the buildings that spells out, Country COO Lumber.

 

Clarence was one of the original “constables” in the area, providing local law enforcement prior to the area getting sheriff protection and eventually a police department. Olson even machined his own badge out of a snuff can and carried it in his wallet for years.

 

One of Clarence’s favorite pastimes was his annual fishing trip to Canada that he and three groups of people from Big Lake and Monticello would travel to. The trip to Canada has been held for over 50 years and the groups at first would sleep in tents along the lake’s shore — but as they got older they’d rent cabins at a lodge nearby. 

 

Clarence participated in this event up until about three years ago. Now his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren take part in the traditional trip to keep the family custom going.

 

In Clarence’s later years and up until 2013, he’d been an active participant in the Boy River’s Hobo Club and sits in a chair in the truck bed for the event’s annual parade. Boy River is in Longville, MN.

 

When Clarence turned 75 in 1991, a friend asked him if he’d like to take up the game of golf and so he did. As a matter of fact, Clarence joined the men’s league and was known to hit the ball pretty straight, but not that far.

 

Clarence has also been a very active participant in the Big Lake Lions Club and also on the Monticello Hospital Board.

 

When Clarence was asked at his birthday party, what could he attribute to his long life and sound health? He answered, “Live a clean life and always work hard.”

 

Clarence was known to work seven days a week and was always starting, forming or finishing a project each and every day of his life.

 

Up until just a few years ago, Clarence had been living in his home alone (which he still does) and cooking his own meals. Lately, his faithful family members stop by ritually to look after, cook and feed him. The only medication he takes is for his arthritis and eye issues.

 

Clarence and his family and friends will be holding a more public birthday party Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Monticello VFW from 2-5 p.m. The family requests no one bring any gifts for the birthday boy.

 

but bring stories and pictures to share with others.

 

One family member at Thursday’s family party said she heard Clarence tell his doctor that his secret for a long life is a shot of brandy and a stogie.

 

If that’s the recipe for living to be 100 years old, a lot of local liquor stores and tobacco shops who this story reaches will be seeing a profusion of shoppers in the not-so-distant future.

 

Happy 100th Clarence!