99-Year-Old Woman Crowned High School Homecoming Queen

LIVERMORE, CA — She rode to school in a horse and buggy and graduated from Livermore High School in 1935. Edna Chance, 99 years young, is from one of the original families to settle in Livermore, and now she is also a queen.

The Livermore High School Alumni Board invited Chance, who is one of the oldest living Livermore High alumni, to participate in the homecoming celebration of the 125th anniversary of the school and crown her honorary homecoming queen.

Wearing a green corsage and sash, Chance took to the field to pin the official school homecoming queen, while many of her family members, who also attended school in Livermore, watched.

“It was a fun, special event for us all,” Timothy Buckley, Chance’s grandson, told Patch.

Kristen Meyer, the Livermore High alumni chair, said the Sept. 30 alumni ceremony was one of many fun events scheduled to celebrate Livermore High’s 125th anniversary.

"Crowning Edna Chance at Livermore High’s Homecoming was a true celebration of the 125 years that LHS has been an integral part of the fabric of Livermore," Superintendent of Schools Kelly Bowers told Patch. "As a member of the Class of 1935, Ms. Chance is a tribute to the accomplishments of women during this past century. She also represents decades of commitment by our teachers and students. As Superintendent, I am privileged to contribute to this tradition of commitment and time-honored celebration.”

Chance’s family came from Colorado to Livermore in 1928 after her father worked in the Hetch Hetchy Valley at the O'Shaughnessy Dam. The family eventually laid down roots in Livermore and remain deeply embedded in the community as business owners and residents.

In her younger years, Chance worked in Livermore, and during World War II, like many women, she answered the call of duty, reporting to work in the Richmond shipyards. Chance is one of the few, authentic Rosie the Riveters still living. Her children describe her as a strong caretaker and a woman of faith. Chance drove until the age of 92 and still attends church in Livermore.

Photos courtesy Chance/ Buckley Family