By Scott Calzolaio

On a recent sunny afternoon, a seemingly infinite rainbow blanket pooled on the floor from the lap of Upton’s oldest resident, Olive Aldrich, 102, where her hands nimbly worked the yarn into a new, colorful zig-zag.

“This town has grown a lot,” Olive said, eyes fixed on the television screen across the room, hands still working away. 

“When I first came here,” she said, turning and still never looking at her hands. “There were no houses really. Now, I can’t even tell you how many are up there,” she smiled, using her crochet needle to gesture towards the Prospect Street area through her living room wall.

Olive has the type of smile that only comes after decades of perfecting the art. Upturned eyes that glisten with 100 years of conversations, and a slight smile that peeks out from time to time.

Olive was born on Dec. 1, 1922. A new pope was elected,

Prohibition was in full swing, and Mussolini was marching on Rome.

Snap back to 2025 – On the TV, a documentary about WWII played at a high volume on the History Channel, highlighting an event she watched develop in her life.

Her son, Fred, age 73, sat in a recliner next to his mother, leaving only enough room between them to walk, and for their dog Remy, a tiny blonde Chiweenie, to flit excitedly back and forth.

“Oh god, I can only imagine the things she’s seen, you know?,” Fred said, scratching behind Remy’s ears.

Fred lives with his mother and acts as her primary caretaker.

Olive spent the first eight years of her life in Upton, until her father passed.

“I left Upton to live in Auburn when my father died, back in 1930, to live with my grandmother,” she said. “I didn’t really know my father well. I don’t remember a whole lot from when he was around.” Olive was just eight at the time of her father’s passing. Needing the help, her mother packed up and moved Olive and her three brothers to a small house in Auburn where their grandmother lived.

In 1947, Olive married a firefighter named Francis Aldrich. She then moved back to Upton, where she remained, working as a cafeteria worker and a clerk at a local store.

After 45 years of marriage and three children, Francis passed away in 1988.

Olive said her longevity has been a blessing, but it also comes at a price, she said. 

Olive has been blessed with three children, four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and so far, two great-great-grandchildren.

The price, however, has been watching the family she grew up with pass away. “It has been [heartbreaking], yes,” she said solemnly.

One thing is certain, Fred said, their family tree has deep, American roots.

“Someone at Town Hall told me once that we have relatives that came over on the Mayflower,” he piped in. “I wouldn't doubt if we were Colonists, but I haven’t been bragging about it because I ain’t sure,” he said, letting out a hearty laugh.

Olive said she’s ultimately unsure of when her family made their way to America. According to Olive, her grandparents were born Americans, but she’s unsure how far back it goes.

In the last 102 years, humanity has seen its largest advancements. From the automobile to the personal computer, Olive has witnessed what only a few remaining can claim.

Despite all that, Olive says she’s lived a quiet, simple life, and that’s just fine with her.