The family of Idyllwild resident Earlie Mae Brosterhous is preparing to celebrate her 99th birthday, which will occur Thursday, Sept. 14. Although census figures are a little vague, she may be our oldest resident. The Crier spoke with Earlie Mae and her son Gary this week to find out more about her life and times.

Earlie Mae was born in 1924, in Portsmouth Virginia, to Lemuel and Earlie Mae Johnson. Her father was disabled in the “Great War” (gassed) and had a pension. Her parents handed their own names down to their first two children, Lemuel and Earlie Mae, who were joined by a younger sister, Mary Lou.

Gary told us that he had always assumed his grandmother was born in early May, but found out that she was named after the doctor that delivered her, a Dr. Earlie.

Earlie May recalled that her brother Lemuel, who as an adult worked in the shipyard there in Portsmouth, made Mary Lou a little row boat. Mary Lou would coax her older, but less adventurous, sister into trips across the Elizabeth River to Northfolk, where they would have lunch. Their parents had the means to provide their children enrichment activities like piano lessons and “elocution” classes. She enjoyed Home Economics class at school.

During the war she worked as a secretary at the shipyard. It was there she met her husband-to-be, Ray. “One of the ensigns there at the shipyard, who was married, said a ship was coming in with a fellow he wanted me to meet. He used to set me up with dates.” Earlie Mae recalled her first impression of Lt. Brosterhous: “It was good … His kindness, he was really sweet. Everybody loved Ray.” And Ray, according to Gary, adored Earlie Mae. After a year dating, the pair married and moved to California. Ray, nine years older than his wife, already had an engineering degree from UC Berkeley.

The couple had five children over a span of 17 years: Ray II, Mary Lou, Patricia, Dennis and Gary. These children have in turn produced 14 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. “I really got something started, didn’t I?” quipped the near-centenarian. Two of the children, Patricia and Ray II, became attorneys. Ray II served as deputy attorney IV for the state of California.

Despite nearly 80 years in California she still has her Southern drawl, and a twinkle in her eyes. “I like to have fun” comes out often, along with “I’m a party person.” Happy hour around the Brosterhous house is 4 o’clock, and she enjoys a bourbon and Coke “every day.” Sometimes a shrimp cocktail. She always loved to “over-decorate” for the holidays. Just last year Gary came home to find his mother had decorated their 7-foot Christmas tree by herself; at least as high as she could reach. She is still getting around without walker or cane, and “she still folds all of our laundry for us.”

Earlie Mae and Ray lived in Long Beach, where Ray worked for the city for 30 years, retiring in 1980 from his position as director of Building and Safety. In the early ’70s, the family built a little cabin in Idyllwild. Gary recalls; “Dad was very hands on. He had it framed and shelled, and members of the family finished it. I put insulation in as a 10-year-old with my mom.”

In 1980 they built a full-time home up here for retirement. “Dad’s hobby was building things. He wanted to correct all the things he thought were shortcomings in the cabin.” Even in retirement, Ray continued to work with local architects, designers and builders, names like David Lilieholm and Robert Priefer. He contributed architectural services to the construction of the new firehouse for the Idyllwild Fire Department (IFD) in 1984, one of many contributions from local professionals and tradespeople that brought the project in under budget.

Earlie Mae and Ray found a social circle in the Rotary Club and Queen of Angels Church. She was a Rotary Ann and chaired many committees at the church. They participated in the Idyllwild Garden Club Home Tours; Ray had a green thumb. They donated to causes like IFD and a new radio tower for WNKI. Ray was on the board for the Pine Cove Property Owners Association.

While raising their family, Earlie Mae and Ray took the kids across the U.S. and Canada. During retirement, Ray and Earlie Mae traveled the world; Australia and New Zealand (“beautiful”), China (“Shanghai”), Europe (“France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands”) and the Holy Land (“Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Egypt.”) They went to Hawaii at least 20 times. “Sometimes twice a year. Our friends had a place in Kona.”

Sometimes they traveled with neighbors and church-fellows, the Shinkles. Other friends included Cal and Anne Ashby, Ralph and Violet Hamilton, and Mike and Fran Valen.

When the challenges of Hill life became too arduous, the couple moved to Hemet. Ray continued to come back to Idyllwild for Rotary meetings, Gary meeting him at the Cranston Ranger Station to drive the mountain road. Ray diedpassed away in 2007, at 92. In 2020, during the pandemic, Gary moved Mom back up to Idyllwild, where she occupies a “granny flat” adjoining the home where he and husband Gary Agner are raising their now-teenage daughters, Emily and Sarah.

Gary said his mother “loves dogs, in particular Max, our rat terrier. Gary [Agner] brought him home from the pound and the dog has never forgotten.” Max is known affectionately as “that rotten little dog” on account of his ferocity toward all those who fall outside the small circle of his favored humans. “She always had Scotties and Westies, at one time one of each.”

Earlie Mae still reads the Crier regularly. She enjoys reading about developments in the community: things like the new community center and the amphitheater; groups like Helping Hearts on the Hill (Sarah Oates visits weekly). She likes to see the community spirit here. She is still learning new things: local artist Denise Gioeli gives her art lessons twice a week, and her home is decorated with her watercolors of flowers.

The family is planning a small event at home for her 99th birthday, but plans are underway for her 100th, next September. “Hopefully at the new community center, if not, at Town Hall. Maybe Mayor Max will come!”