Two 109-year-old women met at 23 and are still friends

Dorothy Bogges starts every day with physical exercises in the kitchen. She turns on an old boombox with the song Cha Cha Slide, holds onto the countertop with one hand and alternately lifts her legs, then squats and moves to the rhythm of the music. On her shelf, there is a mug with the inscription "109 and fabulous" («109 і цудоўная»).

Velma Long celebrated her 109th birthday in August, inviting her friend to go to church together. Bogges had previously gone to Long's church when Long celebrated her 109th birthday in May. In their youth, both women were much more active: for example, on her 100th birthday, Long was still dancing in heels.

Павялічыць

In the early 1940s, Bogges studied to be a social worker in Atlanta, but decided to move to Washington to work for the country during the war. She and Long were among the so-called "Rosie the Riveters" — women who, during World War II, came to work in factories, shipyards, and government institutions, replacing men who had gone to the front.

Both got jobs as typists in government agencies. Long worked for the U.S. Navy, and Bogges for what was then the War Department. It was through work that both met their future husbands, and their relationships began with shared lunches.

Soon, Bogges and Long also became close friends. Their husbands were cousins and friends with each other, so the families spent a lot of time together, often went on trips, and socialized as couples.

Bogges and her husband were actively involved in the civil rights movement. Many memorabilia from that era have been preserved in her home, including a flag from the 1963 March on Washington. The woman herself later recalled that at the time she did not realize the historical significance of her actions and was simply "passing the time."

In the late 1990s, The Washington Post published an article about women known as "war girls," but it only mentioned white women. Bogges wrote a letter to the editor, drawing attention to this discrepancy, and her letter was published in the newspaper in 1997.

For over 80 years, Bogges and Long lived close to each other in and around Washington. In their youth, they exercised together and organized parties for their children. Now it's harder for them to meet, but they talk on the phone almost every day.

Both women believe that one of the main secrets to their longevity is social activity and communication with other people. They maintain connections with friends, neighbors, church communities, social clubs, and their families.

Long has a four-year-old great-great-granddaughter. Long's daughter, Phyllis Valentine, who is now 78, jokes that her mother has become "mom" to all her friends.

Bogges continues to do physical exercises and is especially proud that she learned to swim at 69. Both women also traveled extensively after retiring in the 1970s. Bogges keeps a list of countries she has visited — from Argentina to Turkey, while Long particularly loved Bermuda, Montreal, and Hawaii.

Павялічыць

Both 109-year-old friends are considered among the last living "Rosie the Riveters" — women who worked for the U.S. wartime economy during World War II. Today, they still strive to remain active, maintain their friendship, meet people, and be interested in the world around them.

For Long, it is especially important to continue traveling. Her daughter recounted that during a recent flight to Texas, her mother looked out the window with childlike curiosity. When asked what she was thinking, the 109-year-old woman replied that she had never hoped to be able to return to that place again.

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