Ninety years and

going strong

By Chrystal Doucette

Herald staff writer

Moses Lake resident

to celebrate birthday

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake resident Nadine Driggs said she wishes she could spend eight hours a day on her computer.

Driggs, 89, celebrates her 90th birthday Oct. 11.

"The only thing I'm worried about is getting my driver's license when I'm 91," she said.

Driggs does her own shopping in her white 1979 Pontiac Firebird. She believes it is the only car like it in town. She also uses the Internet daily, researching her family history and keeping in touch with family.

About six years ago, she and her husband Del returned from a trip to Yuma, Ariz., to find a computer waiting at the house. Her daughters and sons had purchased it for her.

"I just sat down and fiddled around," Driggs said.

With the help of daughter Cheryl Elkins, she has learned to use the computer.

Elkins said her siblings purchased the computer because her mom and dad traveled to Yuma every year, and when they returned, there weren't the same activities.

Elkins said at first a lot of trips had to be made to her parents' house to help Driggs with her computer. When Driggs made a change to the computer, Elkins would have to make trips to the house to fix it.

"She has gotten so good that I rarely have to do any checking for her anymore," Elkins said.

Driggs and Del celebrated their 71st anniversary in July. They met about a year before they married. Her cousin was his next-door neighbor.

"Six-foot, 4-inch, blond headed, good-looking, curly (haired) guy," she said. "That's what did it."

They moved from Kennewick to Moses Lake for the farmland in 1935 and stayed. Approximately 625 people lived in town at the time. She said she wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Driggs said she has no secrets for longevity, except perhaps drinking plenty of water. She said one reason for her long marriage could be that she and Del's interests are entirely different.

"I'm thankful I can still work and drive," she said.