'God is good': Arps turns 104 years young on Monday

WORLAND - Worland resident Dolores Arps, known as Dee to her friends will turn 104 years young on Monday, Sept. 6 or maybe Tuesday, Sept. 7.

She was born in Dodge, Nebraska, on Sept. 6, 1917, at least that is when she has always celebrated her birthday. However, Dee explains that her birth certificate actually lists Sept. 7, 1917, as her official birth date. "So the government requires me to say the 7th, that has caused me a lot of frustration," Dee said.

She said the "little country doctor" didn't register the birth certificate for three months, which may have led to the discrepancy.

"We grew up during the Depression and it was a terrible Depression. We went six years without a crop," Arps said. She began working at about 13 to 14 years old, working for neighbors. The money she earned went to material for her mother to make the children's clothes.

"You can't believe how poor people were then," she said.

She does remember her father buying their first car, a Buick. But they did not use it often. She said the roads were horse and buggy roads and terrible on the car tires.

She and her siblings walked to school, Sacred Heart Academy, four miles one way every day, except in bad weather when either her father or a neighbor would take them and the neighbor children to school.

Arps said they had to do their chores before they began walking to school and finish chores when they got home.

Arps also remembers as a child how excited she was when her mother got the right to vote and was able to vote in her first election.

After six years without a crop, the family, the Dirkschneiders, lost the farm and moved to town.

"I learned the hard way you didn't buy anything you didn't need and you didn't spend anything that you couldn't afford," she said.

At age 18 Dee went to work for a family in Omaha, Nebraska, noting that until 21 her paycheck went to the family because women were not able to get a paycheck until they turned 21.

At the age of 23, she married Leonard Arps in June 1940 and they moved to Worland on the Fourth of July.

"I loved every minute of it. I never wanted to go back," she said, noting that Leonard would get homesick and wanted to move back to Nebraska, but she talked him into starting their own business.

During World War II Leonard worked at Wyoming Gas and after the war they opened Arps Heating and Plumbing and Appliances with a shop in Worland and in Greybull. The store in Greybull also had a small apartment. They closed the business in Greybull after six years, focusing on the Worland business.

She said they employed up to 15 people at the peak of the business.

The business stayed in the family for a long time with daughter Sharon and her husband, and son Dan and his wife running the business after Leonard "retired."

The Arps also operated a liquor store in Worland, purchasing the liquor store from Reed's Pharmacy after state statute changed and prohibited liquor licenses from being connected with pharmacies. Dee operated East Drive-In liquor store for 25 years.

Leonard passed away in 1989. In addition to Sharon and Dan, the couple had two other children, one who died a few hours after birth, and another who died three days after birth.

Sharon and Dan have blessed their parents with five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

"I've lived to see both of my children celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and that's unusual," Arps said.

"God was good to us," Dee said.

Normally the family gathers for birthdays and anniversaries at the family cabin but this year the celebration will take place at Sharon Smith's home where Dee is now living.

Dee came to stay with Sharon in the spring after injuring her arm during a fall in March

It healed and just as she was about to go back to her own home, she fell again injuring her other arm.

She has been able to stay independent despite her eyesight diminishing from macular degeneration.

Other than her eyesight and her arm that is on the mend, Dee said she is in good health. "My blood pressure is normal. My heart is good, my lungs are good. If I could just keep my feet on the floor."

She attributes hard work to her longevity, noting she has worked more 15-hour days than eight hour days.

She added, "and I love life."

Dee said being active in the community has also helped. She has served as the Washakie County Democrat Party chairman and as state vice chairman attending three national conventions.

She has also been active at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church.

Dee said she and Leonard also enjoyed hunting elk.

They also loved to travel. "We went to Mexico when we retired. We would go right after Christmas and stay until spring," Dee said, noting the warmer weather was better for Leonard.

She said there is not much left for her to do, noting she has visited all but six states and visited "quite a few foreign countries" - Ireland, England, France and Germany. She said she went where her grandfather grew up in Germany and the home is still being used by the family.

Arps is hoping to celebrate her birthday (the celebration will be on Sunday to allow family to travel home on Monday) with her favorite cake for her birthday - angel food cake with the old-fashioned frosting. "That's always been my birthday cake."