Centenarian: Leona Ruth (Raugust) Chase

Leona Ruth (Raugust) Chase

Spokane

Leona Ruth (Raugust) Chase will celebrate her 100th birthday Sunday. She was born July 17, 1916, in Reardan. She has lived in Eastern Washington for 95 years and currently calls Riverview Retirement Community home.

While attending business college, Chase met her husband, Alfred Henry Chase, in March 1935 at a dance in Spokane.

Chase said her family is her greatest life achievement. She and Alfred owned and operated a general store and post office in Marshall, and Chase also worked in other post offices, sometimes acting as postmaster when the regular postmaster was on vacation.

Chase credits her longevity to staying active through exercising, volunteering and participating in activities put on by Riverview Retirement Community, including church services, a reading program with Logan Elementary School, and bridge and pinochle groups.

Chase has many memorable moments from the last 100 years. She has seen homes grow larger and include radio, TV, telephones, computers, the internet, and automatic heating and cooling, as well as other modern conveniences. She has lived through the Great Depression, World War I and II, watched man walk on the moon and has traveled internationally via airplanes instead of long boat trips.

Chase has two children: Alfred Chase and Karen (Chase) Davidson, both of Spokane. She also has seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.