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Curiosity keeps Jean Bevins young at 104 years |
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May 24, 2017 |
Imogene "Jean" Bevins, a centenarian resident of
the Boundary Community Hospital Nursing Home,
will be celebrating her 104th birthday with
family, friends and caregivers on Thursday.
Bonners Ferry Mayor David Sims will be stopping
by to mark the occasion and to pass on the best
wishes of the community to this remarkable
woman.
From her granddaughter, Kathy Bottrell, written
for her 100th birthday:
Beginning when she was a little girl, Imogene
(Jean) Bevins followed her curiosity. She read
books on how lightning worked and pursued a
career in electricity. She was raised by her
grandparents in Ohio after being born May 25,
1913. They influenced her greatly.
She followed her grandmother’s advice of “you
are what you eat” long before it was a slogan.
Mrs. Bevins attributes her long life to eating
pure foods and trusting the Lord to direct her.
“The Lord was with me and directing me in the
right direction to do His will” she said. “A
very active, very interesting life and I’m so
grateful for the blessings I’ve had.”
Jean’s life had many ups and downs but her
curiosity was always with her.
After finishing only eighth grade, she worked
for Howard Hughes when he started an electrical
company. When she worked the night shift, she
caught pneumonia twice. She did electrical work
and was always being asked questions on how to
solve electrical problems.
“I told them I didn’t know if I could solve them
until I tried,” says Jean, who was often placed
in a glass room to be observed while she worked.
Only later when another electrical company asked
if she would work for them did she find out what
all those questions were about.
“They explained to me that I had done
outstanding work and I didn’t realize it,” she
said. "I was working on famous things for the
company and I didn’t know. They told me I was a
certified member of the NASA program. I was so
stunned.”
Jean stunned others after she broke her back and
walked when they told her she wasn’t supposed to
ever walk again.
“I fooled them,” Jean said. “I worked on myself
and I did it.”
Though some events were disastrous, they were
blessings in disguise, she said.
She enjoyed fixing and taking things apart,
including watches and vacuum cleaners.
“I always wanted to help people when I could,”
said Jean, who knitted hats and made lap robes
for those in need. “We are supposed to help each
other.”
Jean married three times, living in Ohio,
California and moving to Bonners Ferry in 2002
to be closer to family. She has a son, Jim, a
daughter Betty and a step son, Alan. She has
four grandchildren, three great grandchildren
and two great, great grandchildren.
“I always had help, all the way through," she
said. "What I did, I did for Him,” |
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