Elva Charlotte Swanson turns 95!

Most of the birthdays and anniversaries that I post about are of dead people, but this one is still living. Elva (Swanson) Earls was born 31 Oct 1916, and lives a few blocks from me.

Elva was born in San Francisco, and was the 11th child of 12. In Swedish Elva means eleven, as I'm frequently told by her. The first six children died in Finland before 1909. I think it sounds pretty weird that her older brothers and sisters died over 100 years ago.

Here is a picture with her 5 other brothers and sisters (out of the 12) that continued to live on. Elva is 3rd from the left in the front row. This picture was taken around 1920 or so and also includes a couple of her cousins, I believe.


Amazingly, Elva still drives herself to the store and other places in her weekly routine. Her husband Ernest passed away around 35 years ago, but she still has 3 living children, 7 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren to keep her company.

Here she is with her husband and 4 children: Robert, Eugene, Elaine, and Lillian.


Elva's side of the family seems to be blessed with good genetics or something that allows them to live long. Her brother Viking lived to be 98, and her other brother and sisters have lived past 92. Her only living sibling is her sister Elna Viola, who is 92.

If she lives 5 years or so more, she might even have a great great grandchild, since her oldest great grandchild is 17. She won't be able to get a 5 generation picture through my side though, so I'll have to be satisfied with this 4 generation picture of Elva, Lil, Sandee and Natalie.