Where were YOU in 1902?

Yes, it’s true. Born Rose Wyrsch, Rose Cliver entered this world in her family home on October 9, 1902. She was a middle child of thirteen, raised on a farm in the Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. Rose is the lone survivor among her siblings, has outlived one of her two children, and is the oldest known survivor of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.

Recalling her upbringing with amazing clarity, Rose boasts that she “wasn’t supposed to live even twelve years” because she was born a month early after her mother chased a family cow during her pregnancy. She also vividly remembers climbing the Bernal Heights hill with her father and siblings to gaze down at the burning City of San Francisco after the Great Quake.

The 1906 earthquake wasn’t as impactful on a three year old as you might expect. The World events which had the greatest impact on Rose were the World Wars: two of her brothers served in World War I and a third brother served in World War II. Her parents never talked about war or discussed politics at home, but she knew they worried about her brothers’ safety.

When you first meet a spry 107 year old, after reeling with amazement a logical first question is, “What’s the secret to living so well, so long?” Rose lived independently in San Francisco until 2008, and then with her son, Don and his wife in Santa Rosa until earlier this year, when she moved to a local residential care home. Without hesitation, Rose responded, “my Grandchildren kept me alive” (she helped raise one grandchild and one great-grandchild). After a little more digging, I’m also attributing an active lifestyle, along with never smoking or drinking, to Rose’s longevity. As for food, Rose says she’ll eat “whatever you give me!” Despite some hearing loss, at age 107 Rose can hear without aides and moves around quite well with a three-wheeled walker.

The Wyrsch’s were “strict but good people” from Switzerland, and Rose attended Catholic grammar school. She fondly remembers the “good old days” of picnics, parties, “kids to play with,” hiking, singing, and dancing. She also reminisced about her regular adventures taking the train from San Francisco to Marin County and “hiking a mountain” in Mill Valley before descending on a dance hall (Muir Woods?) She met her husband, Charles, on one of these hikes and they married two years later, in 1923. Rose admits her parents didn’t approve of their non-Catholic nuptials (Charles was Episcopalian) but they had a good life together until his death in 1985, and enjoyed traveling throughout the United States. Reflecting on her life, Rose has no regrets but does wish they kept their plans to travel to Germany with her sister.

At age 107, Rose Cliver still has an amazing amount of “get up and go,” and clearly knows who she is, what she wants, and what’s important in a life well lived!