Battle Ground woman turns 105

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Maude Ryan celebrated her 105th birthday Feb. 8 at the Mallard Landing Assisted Living Center. 

Ryan’s story started on Feb. 8, 1914, when she was born in southern Arkansas. She was the first born to five children and grew up learning the Bible. “I lived like it,” she said. “I’ve never had alcohol, never smoked, sounds like I’ve never done anything. If it didn’t appear good in the Bible I don’t touch it, I stay away. Here I am 105, I must have done something right!”

In 1920, when Ryan was just six years old she saw women gain the right to vote for the first time. Ryan told The Reflector in a previous interview that she had been an avid voter who never missed an opportunity after turning 18. However, during the 2016 presidential election she was unable to vote because her vision wouldn’t allow her to read about the candidates. 

Ryan lived through World War I, World War II, and The Great Depression. During World War II she worked a job as a crane operator. Later she found another job as a machine operator at the Jantzen sewing factory in Portland, Oregon. 

Although Ryan has slowed down a bit in recent years, she reflects back on an active life. 



“I used to make all kinds of stuff: I would do crochet, knitting, ceramics, and embroidery,” she said. One piece of art Ryan is particularly proud of are the naked women she drew as a child, which now hang on her dining room wall. “I didn’t go to school, we didn’t have anything to write on. When people would write to you and didn’t write on the back of the page, that was like gravy. I would take the backside of it and use it as art and draw naked women.” 

One of the delights in Ryan’s life was her sports car. “I loved driving that car across the desert straight without hills or curves, not even a bug crossing the road. You could put it in top speed and go, that really was a joy.” Ryan said, speaking of when she would take January off to visit her family in Phoenix, Arizona because the other months were to hot for her.

With one son and three grandchildren, Ryan’s said her family often asks her how she managed growing up in such a different time with so many struggles. 

“Well I’m still here breathing in and breathing out, you just do what you have to do,” she said.