A note from her granddaughter, Lilian

Mary McCombs (nee Holmes) -- mother of five, grandmother and great-grandmother; veteran, proud Democrat and the heroine and matriarch of my family is turning 100 on April 3. The entire family is gathering near her home in San Bernardino, California to celebrate. I live in Australia with my husband and our young daughter and unfortunately won't be able to be there in person; so I'm trying to help organize a special honor for her from afar.  

My grandmother is an extraordinary woman, and not just because she's still going strong at 100.  Her life has been one of service and love from the start. 

It wasn't always easy. Her father contracted tuberculosis and the only cure at the time was rest and a warm, dry climate. So they moved from Wisconsin to California hoping for the best. Unfortunately it wasn't enough; he passed away when she was just 13 -- leaving her mom, Mary and her two younger siblings to cope far from any extended family. 

My grandmother was a bright student and with the support of a partial scholarship was able to graduate from the University of Redlands, class of 1937. That education and opportunity meant the world to her; she is still an active member of AAUW (American Association of University Women) today. 

When World War II broke out like everyone she was eager to help, so she enlisted in the Navy as a WAVE (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). She still describes those years as some of the very best of her entire life. Her uniform hangs proudly in her closet (see photo attached). 

After the war ended she met and married my grandfather, Ray McCombs. He joked she was "washed up" at 30. She knew better. She had been raised a good Baptist girl and here was this Catholic who liked to play cards, dance and drink wine. Fortunately it all worked out. Together they raised five children, and when times got a bit lean financially and she needed to go back to work she ended up placing countless others with loving adoptive families as a social worker for the county.

Today my grandmother remains a proud Democrat and strong advocate for veteran's and women's rights in particular. (Here's a video of her speaking at a Veteran's Day event just two years ago.) She's also a strong supporter of interfaith education and dialogue -- a passion she shared with my grandfather (perhaps because of their own small experience) -- along with a good friend of the family and my namesake, Lilian Morrow. She helped set up an endowment in their honor after they both passed away: the McCombs-Morrow memorial lecture series continues annually with a focus on bridging understanding between Christians, Jews and Muslims. 

There's not much you can give a 100 year old. She lives in her own home still and doesn't need or want "stuff". But I do think a greeting from President Obama or former Secretary Hillary Clinton would delight her to no end, and help convey our deep admiration and gratitude for the person she is. She is someone who generally spreads compassion and warmth to all she meets, whose sense of humor and delight with the world hasn't diminished over time, even though her mind is as sharp as ever. I've made a request for a birthday greeting via the official White House website, but I'm not sure how likely it is to be noticed in time; so when Joan offered to help I wanted to take her up on it!

On behalf of my entire family, thank you. 
Lilian Spencer (nee McCombs)
Blue Mountains - west of Sydney Australia
lily@lilyspencer.com
+61 415 500 139