Laura Simon
Laura Simon (b.1906- d. 2014) lived to be 108 years old.1 During this century, Simon experienced an array of hardships and tribulations, more than the majority of Americans live to see. While growing up, Simon survived Spanish Influenza and overcame poverty amidst the Great Depression. In her mid-seventies, she began studying at the University of California San Diego, through the Continuing Education Department. Simon pursued writing and painting during her life, causing her to be the subject of many documentaries.
At age one-hundred she published her memoir I'm Still Here, providing her perspective and insight on being a woman during the past hundred years. Simon recorded her memories using a tape recorder for the duration of nine years for the development of her book. The Library of Congress acquired her memoir soon after publication, and regarded her as the "oldest living author with a novel in the library." Soon after publishing, she donated four of her art pieces to the Women’s Museum of California. Simon remarked that these accomplishments had been amongst her life goals, to be a published author and to have her artwork in a museum collection.2 Simon is remembered as a dedicated and hardworking woman, whose outlook on living inspired the San Diego community. By accomplishing two of her life goals in her hundreds, Simon is a paradigm example that one is never too old to achieve their ambitions.
1 Donald H. Harrison, Laura Simon, 108, author and painter, dies, (San Diego, California, 2014)
2 Donald H. Harrison, Matriarch of literary family, Laura Simon, near death, (San Diego, California, 2014)