Laurette M. Delay Spokane

Wed., Oct. 21, 1998

Laurette M. (Wermerskirchen) DeLay, celebrates her 109th birthday today.

DeLay was born Oct. 21, 1889, in St. James, Minn., and has been a resident of Eastern Washington for 43 years.

She married John M. DeLay in 1951 in Columbus. He died the day before her birthday in 1996.

DeLay comes from a family of musicians. She spent her life as a musician and played the piano at silent films in St. James, played for girls’ dance clubs in Chicago and worked dinner clubs in Columbus, Ohio, playing the organ. She also played in dance orchestras.

She has one daughter, Lorraine Schaffer of Spokane; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

DeLay doesn’t really know what to attribute her longevity to. She never liked smoking and never drank. She just thinks God doesn’t want her yet.

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Laurette M. Delay Spokane

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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