Phoenix area man celebrates two '100s' in Yuma

  As Yuma High School is celebrating 100 years, so is Clarence "Hutch" Hutchison.

  He was the 14th child in his family, born in Phoenix Oct. 31, 1908.

  Hutch has many events to add to his memory book.

  He lived in Glendale, and played second base on the high school team "when we won state championship," Hutch said. He graduated from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff in 1932.

  "When I came to Yuma after college, I worked in cantaloupe sheds — jobs were scarce then. I was hired at Yuma Union High School in 1933 and taught typing and shorthand in business classes."

  O.L. Snider was principal when Hutch started at YUHS — and the auditorium used by the community was named in his honor.

  He was in the Navy and taught physical fitness to sailors at the University of Texas and in Oklahoma during a World War II tour of duty.

   He's always been an avid golfer, was a charter member of the Yuma Golf and Country Club — participated in tournaments around the Southwest and made the first hole-in-one in 1964. "The fifth one was made when I was 80," Hutch smiled.

  Newspaper clippings show photos of his golf achievements, plus one when he "represented the high school when 'Molly' a greyhound won a special race at the old track."

  After more than 35 years at the high school, as business manager, Hutch retired in 1973, but remained in the Yuma area until 1997.

  During his Yuma years, Hutch was involved in the community, and was honored Thursday night by the Elks Lodge 476 not only for his 100th birthday, but for being a life member for 75 years. Former students and fellow teachers, Ray Drysdale and Bob McLendon, attended and gave toasts, along with greetings from Fred A. Dammeyer Jr., exalted ruler, Patrick Riley, district deputy grand exalted ruler and Homer Sylvers Jr., Arizona Elks Association state president and other guests.

  More in his memory pages are about his son, Allen a "Crim" graduate, a grandson Andy, born when Hutch was 75; reminiscing with friends at the Elks party, and more old-timers at the all-class reunion at the Chilton Inn Friday night.

  "I might take a tour of the old school, and probably be at the barbecue at the fairgrounds this evening," he said.

  Hutch will be gong back to his present home in Peoria, which is only a short distance from the home he helped build for his mother in Glendale.

  He said, "I'm not able to golf any more, so I've taken up painting. I use oils and like to do mostly landscapes."

  He is adding pages to his scrapbook from his century celebration in Yuma.