Audrey Stubbart
Encyclopedia
Audrey Stubbart was an American
centenarian
who worked as a proofreader and newspaper columnist
for The Independence Examiner
until the age of 105. Prior to her death she was the oldest verified newspaper columnist, the oldest known full-time employee, and possibly the oldest user of the Internet
.
. She was the second of five siblings, but with the death of her eldest sibling shortly after birth, Audrey became the oldest. She spent her early life in Newman Grove, Nebraska, close to an Indian
reservation and could recount early experiences of encountering Sioux Indians in the decades following the Battle of Wounded Knee
.
The Morford family moved to Gordon
, when Audrey was young. Soon afterwards, her father died at the age of 36, leaving his wife and four children destitute. Following his death, she and her mother moved along with her siblings to her uncle's house nearby and then, on his death, to the house of their grandparents in Malvern
, Iowa
.
Stubbart was married at the age of 15 to a carpenter, John Stubbart, who was five years older than she. The couple moved to Wyoming
where they had their first child in 1912. They built a log house on the prairie there in 1916, where they lived for the next 28 years.
Stubbart was highly religious and taught Sunday school for 75 years. A member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints
, she detested the former practice of polygamy amongst Utah Mormons
, which had only officially ended in 1890, and preached against it just as members of her church had done since its foundation in the 1850s.
, Missouri
, where Audrey found a job as a proofreader with her church's publishing company, Herald House, on the suggestion of her mother-in-law. Audrey recounted that her initial salary was $18 a week. During this time, Audrey's middle son, Donald, was serving in World War II as a bomber pilot in the Air Corps
. Audrey worked for 18 years with Herald House until her retirement in 1961. In that same year, she was recruited as a proofreader by The Examiner. She would eventually spend more than three decades there.
on June 9, 1995, thereby inviting worldwide attention. Calls and letters came in from people around the world wanting to listen to her story. At the age of 100, she was still working 40 hours per week at The Examiner. Three years later, she was honored by the US Government for being the oldest full-time employee of any business in the country. Shortly afterwards, at age 103, she wrote what was perhaps her last article for The Examiner. She continued, however, to work in her proofreader's position until August 2000 when she was 105 years and 2 months old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
centenarian
Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
who worked as a proofreader and newspaper columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for The Independence Examiner
The Examiner (Independence)
The Examiner is the daily newspaper of eastern Jackson County, Missouri, including Independence and Blue Springs.The Examiner was first published in 1898 by Col. William Southern...
until the age of 105. Prior to her death she was the oldest verified newspaper columnist, the oldest known full-time employee, and possibly the oldest user of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Early life
Stubbart was born Audrey Morford in Newman Grove, NebraskaNebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. She was the second of five siblings, but with the death of her eldest sibling shortly after birth, Audrey became the oldest. She spent her early life in Newman Grove, Nebraska, close to an Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
reservation and could recount early experiences of encountering Sioux Indians in the decades following the Battle of Wounded Knee
Wounded Knee Massacre
The Wounded Knee Massacre happened on December 29, 1890, near Wounded Knee Creek on the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, USA. On the day before, a detachment of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment commanded by Major Samuel M...
.
The Morford family moved to Gordon
Gordon, Nebraska
Gordon is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census.- Geography :Gordon is located at ....
, when Audrey was young. Soon afterwards, her father died at the age of 36, leaving his wife and four children destitute. Following his death, she and her mother moved along with her siblings to her uncle's house nearby and then, on his death, to the house of their grandparents in Malvern
Malvern, Iowa
Malvern is a city in Mills County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,256 at the 2000 census, estimated in 2008 at 1,323. The Wabash Trace--a railroad converted to a bicycle trail—passes through Malvern. The Mills County Fair is held here, although Glenwood is the county seat...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Stubbart was married at the age of 15 to a carpenter, John Stubbart, who was five years older than she. The couple moved to Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
where they had their first child in 1912. They built a log house on the prairie there in 1916, where they lived for the next 28 years.
Stubbart was highly religious and taught Sunday school for 75 years. A member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints
Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...
, she detested the former practice of polygamy amongst Utah Mormons
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
, which had only officially ended in 1890, and preached against it just as members of her church had done since its foundation in the 1850s.
Career as a proofreader
In 1944, John and Audrey Stubbart moved to IndependenceIndependence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where Audrey found a job as a proofreader with her church's publishing company, Herald House, on the suggestion of her mother-in-law. Audrey recounted that her initial salary was $18 a week. During this time, Audrey's middle son, Donald, was serving in World War II as a bomber pilot in the Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
. Audrey worked for 18 years with Herald House until her retirement in 1961. In that same year, she was recruited as a proofreader by The Examiner. She would eventually spend more than three decades there.
Oldest full-time employee
Audrey became a centenarianCentenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
on June 9, 1995, thereby inviting worldwide attention. Calls and letters came in from people around the world wanting to listen to her story. At the age of 100, she was still working 40 hours per week at The Examiner. Three years later, she was honored by the US Government for being the oldest full-time employee of any business in the country. Shortly afterwards, at age 103, she wrote what was perhaps her last article for The Examiner. She continued, however, to work in her proofreader's position until August 2000 when she was 105 years and 2 months old.