A native of Southern West Virginia, Louise Utterback celebrated an incredible milestone birthday recently. This year, 2021, she celebrated 108 years of life.
Being a longtime resident of the Alderson/Bluestone area, Utterback has experienced many milestones in the Mountain State. She has lived through two pandemics, both the Spanish Flu and the Coronavirus. According to her niece Sharon Morgan, Utterback did contract COVID-19 and survived. In addition, she has survived various other illnesses including shingles and many others. She also experienced both World Wars and as well as the destruction of the Twin Towers and other vital points in history.
Utterback served the state of West Virginia as a teacher for an extended number of years. Her family believes she may be the oldest living teacher in the state but has not confirmed.
Over the last few years, Utterback has received recognition from multiple West Virginia politicians including Governor Justice and Senator Baldwin. Two years ago for her 106th birthday, Senator Baldwin spent some time with Utterback speaking about her 30-year tenure teaching. Senator Baldwin noted in a Facebook post that he felt it was an “honor to visit her today.”
After beginning her college career at Alderson Junior College, Utterback went on to receive a degree from Concord University in 1947. After graduation, she dedicated her time and efforts to being a second-grade educator. After teaching in Blue Spulohur and Ashbury, she spent the next 22 years of her life teaching at Alderson Elementary School.
Utterback married a fellow educator George Utterback a few years after beginning her career in Alderson. She would outlive her husband as well as their son.
At the young age of 108, Utterback now resides in Ronceverte and enjoys being outdoors. Morgan noted that she struggles during quarantine because she was not able to get outside the way she liked.
Congratulations to Louise Utterback on another year of life!
