After 100 years in Yelm, lifelong resident Willis Earl Herness said he is thankful to still call the Pride of the Prairie home.
Herness, who recently turned a century old, celebrated his birthday with his family that spans over five generations on Saturday, Nov. 26.
He was born in 1922 and graduated from Yelm High School in the Class of 1940, which featured 48 students.
During the Great Depression, Herness said he was fortunate to live on the family farm in Yelm. They always had food to eat, which made a difference for his family.
“The Great Depression came along and really just changed everything for everyone,” Herness said. “My family was poor, but we made it work living on the farm. We always had good food on the table. My brother and I were also able to pick enough berries to use to buy our clothes.”
Herness said his grandfather on his father’s side of the family originally moved to McKenna from Wisconsin in 1906 and lived in McKenna until the Great Depression hit. That’s when his grandfather decided he needed to sell the farm, but he wanted to keep it in the family.
Herness’ parents purchased the farm in 1934. It was later purchased by Herness and his wife.
Portions of the original farmhouse, built in 1890, remain a part of his home. Another section built in 1912 also remains intact. Over time, the home has needed several renovations, but it still stands strong today.
Herness spent the majority of his life working on the farm or logging. The commonality of both career fields provided him with the opportunity to be out in nature, which is something he enjoys.
He said his father was one of the first ever ski jumpers on Mount Rainier, which led him to draw an interest in the sport.
“I was sort of raised around Mount Rainier,” Herness said. “But I love the snow and I enjoyed every second of being in it.”
While attending Yelm High School, his studies included the typical courses of English, biology, United States history, and his favorite course of business, where he learned typing and shorthand. The school also offered classes like Latin and trigonometry, but those went away when the Great Depression hit.
During his time at Yelm High School, Herness remained involved. He was the president of the Letterman’s Club, was the YHS class president, and was also the vice president of the student body, along with his involvement in multiple sports like football and baseball.
The teachings of his favorite teacher, Ms. Laudersted, have stuck with Herness throughout the years.
“She was about as understanding as anyone,” Herness said. “I had a lot of good teachers, but for me, she was my favorite.”
Delving into his vast memory of the community, Herness recalled a time when temperatures reached negative 15 degrees in Yelm, which caused the Nisqually River to freeze over. Herness, who said he was fairly young at the time, took it as an opportunity to skate the frozen river.
He also talked about some of the changes he has seen during his century of life in the community.
“Years ago, Yelm was all prairie,” Herness said. “There were no trees and you’d see just the most beautiful flowers you could imagine. I look back and it was just amazing. It was all mountain meadow. It’s been a good place to live. You could hunt, you could fish and swim, you could do anything.”
Aside from his love of nature, Herness jokingly said baseball has made him the happiest in life. But in all reality, Herness said his wife of 71 years, Eleanor, was the true key to living a long and happy life.
“Having a great wife was very important,” Herness said. “I wouldn’t have made it 100 years if I didn’t have a good wife.”
The two married on May 14, 1944 with “no money, no car and no house,” as Herness described it. The couple went on to enjoy a marriage of over seven decades. They had three kids together. The growing family now includes eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
“You have to find the right woman or you just won’t make it,” Herness added. “We didn’t need money to be happy because we had each other. We did everything together, mainly at the Grange Hall.”
Eleanor died in 2015 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, but was surrounded by her beloved family in her last moments.
When asked what the key to a long and happy marriage is, Herness repeated some advice he received prior to getting hitched.
“I was told that marriage is not 50-50. You have to give and take. If it’s 50-50 all you do is fight,” Herness said. “You have to make sure it isn’t the same person who gives in all the time too. If you disagree on something, you have to make sure to see the other side. It wasn’t always easy for us, but we made it work.”
Other tips for longevity?
Herness said a person should consume five gallons of raw honey each year, which is something he does annually. He always refrained from smoking and believes that plays a critical role.
Most importantly, Herness believes routine and enjoying what you do on a daily basis is critical to living a long, healthy life.
“You have to make sure there’s regiment in your life and make sure you enjoy what you do,” he said. “So many people go to work and don’t enjoy what they do. Do what you like, or do something else.”
Herness, who said his memory is as sharp as a tack, has documented his life through his diary over the years. He said Yelm has “come a long way from the mud” and noted it has been great to see the improvements in the area over the years. While the roads have improved “dramatically” in his lifetime, he would like to see the Yelm Bypass road completed.
“Looking back now, the greatest improvement that I’ve seen has been the 911 emergency services,” Herness said. “The next greatest would be the road improvements. You couldn’t operate today’s cars on our roads back then, and unfortunately that’s what stopped a lot of business out here.”
These days, Herness enjoys taking in nature’s beauty and following some of the local sports teams like Yelm’s football team. Herness was on the 1939 Tornados team, which he said was ranked No. 1 in Washington.
“I’ve had a good life. I can’t complain,” Herness said. “I’ve traveled a lot and built a great family with my wife.”
