Craig Daily Press / Reader says secret to long life is hard work

Archive for Wednesday, July 28, 2004

July 28, 2004

Verniece Self, 85, has called Craig home for more than seven decades. She moved here with her parents from Montana when she was in sixth grade and has seen many changes. She remembers when the first stoplight was put in at the intersection of Yampa Avenue and Victory Way.

"That was quite a big deal. A lot of people forgot it was there for a long time," Self said, describing how people would drive right through the intersection.

She lived in town until she married Ernest Self, gave up her maiden name of Simonson and moved onto a ranch. The ranching was hard work, and Self raised five children (three boys and two girls) without the benefit of running water or electricity.

"I was young, I didn't mind," Self said adding that although it was hard, it was really all she knew.

Self credits her long, healthy life to hard work and being outside a lot for work and exercise. She said her children worked hard on the ranch too, which helped them all turn out right. She said none have given her trouble.

"I'd always felt that exercising outside does more good than exercising inside," Self said, although one inside activity she enjoys is country dancing. An illness last year has kept her from dancing for about six months.

Of the issues facing Craig, she said drugs concern her the most.

"The meth problem is the worst thing that could happen to Craig," Self said. "We don't need that here."