Happy 100th Birthday, Priscilla Getchell!

By Holly Palmer Newby
    What would you do with 100 years? Not a question very many folks get to ask. Priscilla Getchell, however, will be crossing that mile marker on Monday, August 9. What has she done with her years? A whole lot.
    We went to visit her today in her home in Dona Vista, where she has lived many years now with her son Timothy. She greeted us with a big smile, handshake, and a welcome. She, like many of us, has been shut in during a year of Covid and was happy for a visit with an old friend.
    We have known Priscilla for over fifty years, our whole life. She, on the other hand had already lived a full a productive life, a year of college at Boston University (that is another great story we won’t go into) marriage to husband Ralph Getchell, Sr., a memorable tour of duty in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945 and was mom to five sons before she ever moved to our neck of the woods.
    Once here, she and husband Ralph who was ex-military too, ran a ranch where city folks went to ride horses up in Pittman.
    Eventually the Getchell clan numbered nine sons, half of whom also had careers of some sort in the U.S. military. Today, she beams with pride, respect and appreciation for her boys, who range in age from their 50s to their 70s. They all have families, significant others, grands, and even some great grands. We understand there is a tiny tot running around these days that is her name sake, “Piper Priscilla”, with a nod to great grandma’s military career.
    Because of that one year in college and a high math score, Priscilla had a rare job in the Navy in World War II as a Link Trainer, which at the time was a cutting edge airplane simulator for the military. Priscilla chuckled as she recounted the commanding officers assessment of her teaching skills. I think she said they were “Abominable”.
    After moving to the Umatilla area, Priscilla embarked on a new career, more college, and served as a career guidance counselor for Umatilla High School - from which she retired after graduating her sons and spending 19 years in service to other people’s children. This writer was one of those students along the way.
    No resting on her laurels or rocking away the golden years, No Sir! In retirement, Getchell has stayed active with many philanthropic pursuits and a lively church life.
    More than fifty years as a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Umatilla, a member of the Hearts and Hands Bible study, past President of the Umatilla Garden Club, association with the Navy W.A.V.E.S., Friend of the Library, Citizen of the Year, and on and on.
    Today, she is looking forward to a long list of visits over the next few months from most of “her boys.” Some live as far away as Boise, Idaho, and some as close as her living room.
    Whether they are ballroom dancing in Vienna, working in a trade, running the tech world, retired from the sheriff’s office, or in her kitchen cooking dinner, she loves and keeps up with all of them, their children, and their grand children.
    Her secret to success you might ask? We did… She said staying active. She loves to garden, walks every day, and loves her church family and friends.
    As a young lady. she played field hockey, softball, tennis, took riding lessons, ran a ranch with horses and a cow, raised nine boys, worked in the military, and then public schools. She liked to walk a mile plus every day. Her son, Tim, has a green thumb like mom and takes care of their park-like yard with its pagoda plants, lilies, trellises, milkweed, and other lovely blooming flowers, trees, and shrubs.
    She said if she had a word of advice to the young people today it would be “Get Out There.” She told all of her sons that they had to go to college or go into the military because either experience would broaden their horizons. They all followed orders and have done well.
    We enjoyed visiting with Mrs. Getchell on Monday as always. She has bright eyes, lots of cheerful stories, and still knows how to enjoy herself. She had our 18 year-old son by the hand and engaged in conversation in no time. He thought she was quite a go-getter, and she is.
    Happy 100th Birthday Mrs. Getchell, may you enjoy many more birthdays and may all the young people that read this “Get Out There” and do something special with their lives.
    You can send Priscilla a birthday card to: P.O. Box or give her a call. She will be happy to hear from you!