Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
WWII VET TURNING 100
Elmer Ellsworth Clemson served as flight engineer on missions in Europe
EAST GOSHEN >> Longevity runs in the family of Elmer Ellsworth Clemson who will turn 100 in March.
Clemson lives with his sister, 93-year-old Margie Tinsman. His mother lived to 93 and a sister made it to 94. A cousin recently celebrated his 103rd birthday.
The former tool maker for General Motors in Michigan said he eats enough to keep alive. He usually enjoys cereal for breakfast and a cup of coffee, sometimes with a waffle.
For lunch he often munches on two soft boiled eggs, tomato soup and a Lebanon bologna sandwich.
For exercise, the 99-year-old retrieves the newspaper in the morning and the mail in the afternoon.
Clemson smoked until he was 40.
“I’m sure glad I got rid of them, they’re bad for you,” he said, with a smile.
Daily, he drinks a single whiskey and 7UP in the evening.
The father of one and grandfather of one was married twice and had two girlfriends. He quipped that he wasn’t married to, or dating everyone, at the same time.
Clemson noted that he’s been to a lot of funerals. His gravestone at his mother and father’s grave is already at place where he will be buried in Great Valley Presbyterian Cemetery, which he sometimes visits.
He attended high school at what is currently known as Conestoga High School. Clemson was a flight engineer and manned the main turret during World War II for 66 missions over Belgium, France and Switzerland.
Clemson trained horses and bet on his own horses, especially “Ambitious Gulch,” which won five races, along with several second and third place finishes.
He liked all the Republican presidents who served during his lifetime, but especially George H.W. Bush.
“I liked what he did,” Clemson said. “He was for everybody.”
When asked about technology changes since 1921, Clemson said he was amazed.
“It’s something else what they do today,” he said.
But still, he said that space travel is a “waste of time and money.”
Sister Tinsman was asked why her brother has lived so long.
“Because God wants him to, for some reason or another,” she said.