By Rebecca Maitland
Date published: 11/14/2008
Courtesy of: Fort Bend/Katy Business Journal

There was a very special birthday party at Sugar Land Oaks Assisted Living recently, a birthday party which celebrated Louise Snee's 100th Birthday. Four generations of her family were there as well as friends to help her celebrate. A tree was planted in her honor at the Sugar Land Oaks and she received a plaque right before the large group broke out in song with, Happy Birthday.

As the party began to wind down, Louise, who remains alert and lucid, recalled some of the changes she has seen not only in the world but in her life as well.

An example of just some of the changes Snee has seen in her life, one has to only consider that the year she was born, was the first year the New Year's ball dropped at Times Square. Radio was uniting most Americans as they gathered by the talking box for their evening entertainment. Henry Ford had just completed the first Model-T automobile, but it would be a while before it made it to Snee's home town in Parker, South Dakota.

Most Americans could not begin to fathom that one day they might fly, yet, by the end of the 1908, most Americans had seen a movie, ridden in a car even if it was just at the county fair, and were hearing of Wilbur Wright's mind-bending demonstration flight of two hours and 20 minutes, as he tested the airplane for the army.

The assembly line was transforming all of industrial life creating new wealth and places to shop all over the country.

Football clubs were just beginning to form in Europe, the first credit union in America was opening, the first skyscraper – the Singer Building all of 47 stories opened in New York and the first major oil discovery in the Middle East was discovered. The telephone was more popular on the East Coast during the first years of 1900, and again, it would be a while before the wild West would enjoy reaching out to touch someone over the wires which were slowly beginning to cross America.

Women's attire included full-length dresses and the mandatory hat and gloves, all of which would be worn on the Titanic when it sailed on its maiden voyage three years later.

"I've seen women's clothes really change. When I was growing up, we always wore dressed and we never even thought about or considered wearing pants, especially in public," said Louise Snee, the birthday girl.

If you consider the television was not available until around 1953, and Snee was born in 1908, you know she's seen a lot of changes. But when her family spoke of her, they did not mention all she had seen change, instead they mentioned all she had endured, her strength, all they had learned from her and her community contributions.

"My mother was around six when World War I broke out, she was 21 on Black Thursday when the stock market crashed and the depression hit, and she lost her first husband in World War II. She has lived or traveled all over the world as a military wife but most of all, wherever she lived and what ever was happening in the world around her, she was there helping others," her son, Jim Fleeger said.

Snee's first husband, Harry Fleeger, was her high school sweetheart. He attended West Point, became an officer and was assigned to the 26th Philippine Scouts in World War II.

"One thing I always remember about him is he rode against the Japanese tanks on horseback. Then he was captured and survived the Battan Death March as the Japanese herded the prisoners over 70 miles," Fleeger said.

The Japanese were transporting all of the American officers back to Japan aboard 13 submarines. The submarines were attacked and eight were sunk, her husband did not make it.

After her husband's death, she moved to Denver to teach school.

"She graduated from South Dakota State College with a teaching degree, so after her husband died, she wanted to return to teaching. Denver was one of the larger cities and she knew she had a better chance to find a position there," Fleeger said.

Military families were very close, and they all helped each other, and she knew most of the military families in the United States. So, when Jim Snee, another West Point Officer was moving to Denver, he was given her name by a military couple and told he needed to meet this wonderful lady.

"They met and married. It wasn't long before they were sent to Japan though, where he would become part of the occupation of the country. Later, his Division was the first to go to Korea and there my mother was living in Japan with two small boys, myself and my brother and her husband in Korea," Fleeger said.

There were many young military wives in Japan, some with children, some without, but all were having a hard time living in a foreign country and their husbands in Korea.

"So my mother helped them, she was there for them and helped them through the difficult time," Fleeger said.

After Korea, Jim Snee was promoted to Commanding Officer of the 11th Calvary in Germany, so the family moved to Germany.

When Snee retired from military service, the couple moved to Florida until Jim passed away in 1996. She then moved to Sugar Land to be close to us. My brother has passed away," Fleeger said.

Snee's grand daughter, Sue Weller, a veterinarian in Denver who attended the birthday party noted, ‘She is a very strong woman, even though she has had many losses in her life, she always seemed to be able to stay focus on who she is and to always know what is important. All through her life, she created beautiful homes that were warm and inviting. She taught me how to be a good hostess, how to create a home. She has always reached out to others and was active in her community. When she lived in Florida, she started a P.E.O. chapter."

"Many of her friends from P.E.O. are here today, she has many, many friends," Fleeger said.

The Philanthropic Educational Organization, or P.E.O. as it is known, is one of the pioneer societies for women, is passionate about its mission: promoting educational opportunities for women. P.E.O. began in 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and today hosts a quarter of a million members in chapters in the United States and Canada.

"My mother is very multi-faceted, and was able to endure military life with dignity even though it was difficult at times," Fleeger said.

During the birthday party, which was held outdoors on the patio of Sugar Land Oaks, Mrs. Snee sat with friends on the park bench in a traditional and classic pant suit, with pearl necklace and elegant pearl earrings. She spoke to those as they wished her well and made light conversation, and smiled as they sang happy birthday.

When asked how it felt to be 100, Mrs. Snee said, "Today is not any different than any other day. I can say, I'm happy. It is wonderful to have my family here, to be outdoors and enjoy this wonderful weather. All of my sisters and brothers are gone now, so it is good to have my family here."

She paused a moment and smiled, "It has all been wonderful, wonderful to see how people progress, to see all of the new things coming along, and to watch as the world has made many changes. I think it has been wonderful."