'I don't think about it': 103-year-old Barre woman isn't slowing down

BARRE, Mass. — You can learn history from books -- but students at one high school got a rare opportunity to experience the 20th century from someone who lived through nearly all of it.

Bessie Difley was born the year Babe Ruth joined the Red Sox. She has lived through two world wars, the great depression and every journey to space so far.

At nearly 104 years old, Difley is still living in Barre, Massachusetts.

“I don't think about it,” Difley said.

The former school teacher spent Thursday reminiscing on the history she has been a part of as she took questions from students at Quabbin Regional High School.

“Everybody in town had black cars. Nobody had all the colors that you people have,” She said in response to one student’s question about ‘cars back then.’

She talked about rationing during World War II and the way things have changed so much since her first birthday.

“When I said I was getting married, they said well then you lose your job,” she told the students about being a young, married woman.

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She was eventually asked about cell phones and simply said, “I don't have one, so I can't make any comment on that.”

Of course, no centenarian gets away without being asked the secret to long life.

“I thought it was because I didn't eat the school lunches. But the doctor said it was because I walked every morning,” she explained.

Bessie left teaching about 40 years ago.

“I taught for 28 years. I never had any real bad children,” she said.

Sometimes, she sees some of her old students and is surprised to find that they’re … well... old.

“When I ask, ‘what are you doing?’ And they say, ‘I'm retired,’” she said.

For Bessie Difley, retired is a state of mind she's just not in.

Difley is in good health, but recently recovered from a bout with pneumonia. The staff at the rehab facility she was in told her in order to get released home she had to dance.

To no one’s surprise, she did.

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