Sperr celebrates 100th year, most in Malden

Herman C. Sperr, Jr., celebrated his 100th birthday last month at his home in Malden.

Herman Sperr as fireman at left. Below: Gladys and Herman on their first wedding anniversary.

Born in St. Paul, Minn., Dec. 21, 1912, Sperr’s family moved often as his father followed his work with the railroad.

The work brought them to Spokane and then to Malden in 1919. In 1929, the family moved to Nevada where he graduated from the Sparks, Nev., high school in 1932.

With the Depression going on, Herman rode the rails in boxcars with his father until they reached Los Angeles in 1933.

Herman’s son, Carl, noted that because of that experience, Herman never kicked anyone out of the boxcars if he found them while he worked for the railroad.

From 1933 to 1940, Herman lived in Los Angeles, working at various jobs that included being a waiter, washing windows and driving limousines. He also worked on Parker Dam in California during the construction. He received his first Social Security number card in 1936. Carl said his father recalls flying into Palm Springs when it was just a “whistle stop.”

On Oct. 8, 1940, Herman enlisted with the United States Army Air Corp. A hairline fracture in his back kept him from serving overseas. He attended the Boeing School of Aeronautics which he graduated from June 3, 1941. During his service in the military, he was an aircraft technician and was stationed at various bases. While stationed at Felts Field in Spokane, he and a friend flew down to Malden to see what was going on. It was then he met with Gladys Burns whom he married Jan. 21, 1942, at the Walla Walla County Courthouse. Herman was stationed in Pendleton at the time of the marriage. Gladys was a life-long Malden resident.

Herman was discharged Nov. 3, 1945, from Gowen Field in Idaho, and he returned to Malden with his wife. He went to work for the Milwaukee Railroad in 1946 as a fireman, but took a leave of absence to further his schooling and work other jobs including work at Boeing Field in Renton. He returned to Malden in 1948 and spent the rest of his career with the railroad.

He was promoted from fireman to engineer in 1960 and retired in 1980 when the Milwaukee’s western lines shut down.

Gladys passed away Aug. 1984.

Herman continues to live in his Malden home and in Spokane with Carl. Herman enjoys going to visit in Reno where Carl has a house.