WINDHAM — When Clista Loring was born in 1908, sugar cost 14 cents a pound and the average wage was 22 cents an hour.
Henry Ford unveiled his Model T that year. The first horror movie was released. The American flag gained its 46th star — for Oklahoma.
And the average life expectancy for women was 52 years.
Loring has lived twice that. And then some.
On Tuesday, she will be 107 years old.
“(Social Security and other agencies) always think we’ve made a mistake with the date. Like, ‘OK, what’s the date? Say that again?’ ‘It is 1908,'” said Kathy Leclerc, Loring’s 64-year-old great-niece.
On Saturday, Loring celebrated her birthday with three generations of family and a few residents of Ledgewood Manor in Windham, her home since 2003. In her wheelchair, Loring propelled herself over to the dining-room window, to see her great-great-great nieces, and to check out the cake. At one point, while opening gifts, she started to pop a wrapped Hershey’s Kiss into her mouth.
“Oh, we have to watch you all the time,” Leclerc said with a smile as she unwrapped the candy for her.
“I know it. You haven’t seen anything yet,” Loring quipped.
Although hard of hearing, Loring is a quite healthy 107. She takes few medications, gets around easily on her own in a wheelchair, happily eats birthday cake. Her memory is sharp at times, faded at others.
Although Loring received the Boston Post Cane a couple of years ago — given to the oldest resident in town — she’s lost track of her age. At her last birthday she figured she was 102. Other times, she’s said she’s in her 90s or 80s. On Saturday, she felt her youngest yet.
“I’m 66,” Loring said. “I’m not going to lie about it.”
Born in Chesterville, Loring was one of 14 children raised on her family’s farm. She attended a one-room schoolhouse for years until her family moved to Jay, where she attended Livermore Falls High School.
She married Ralph Loring in 1929 and the couple moved to Connecticut, then returned to live in Southern Maine. He worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. She worked for a time in hospitals in central supply and was a homemaker.
Although they never had any children, the Lorings remained close to their nieces and nephews. Then the children of their nieces and nephews. Then their children’s children. On Saturday, two of her great-great-great-nieces — ages 10 and 12 — handed out cake at her party.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” said 12-year-old Kayla Leclerc.
Ralph Loring died in 1990. The couple had been married for 61 years.
Loring lived on her own until she was 95. Twenty years ago she typed out her obituary on a single small sheet. The paper has since yellowed.
Her family has not determined whether Loring is the oldest woman in Maine, but they figure she must be among the top few.
“I’m thrilled my grandchildren can see her and have a relationship with her,” Leclerc said.
She asked Loring for the secret to her longevity.
“I don’t know. I was a good girl, I guess,” Loring said with a chuckle.
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