Delco 104-Year-Old Caroline Emplit Shares Longevity Secrets
Caroline Emplit is 104 years old and still works out, sews thousands of pillowcases, and reads two books at once. She shared the straightforward motto that she claims has guided her through more than a century of life in an exclusive conversation with Daily Voice.
Caroline Emplit in her 1940s engagement picture (right) and on her 104th birthday in 2025 (left).
Caroline playing the clarinet in the marching band at Eddystone High School.
In 2017, Caroline Emplit, then 96 years old, celebrates her retirement from the Ridley School District as a librarian at Amosland Elementary.
This summer, the Simpson Meadows resident, who was born in Delaware and has lived in Pennsylvania for a long time, celebrated her most recent birthday in four different ways. To celebrate her extraordinary life, relatives, neighbors, and longtime friends gathered around her.
Emplit, however, stated that her 90th birthday is still her favorite. She served as a librarian at Amosland Elementary in the Ridley School District until she was 96 years old. She hosted a party that brought history into the corridors. The children performed Sweet Caroline and other songs that had been created just for her after researching a decade of her life in each grade.
A Century Of Memories
At the age of six, Emplit’s earliest memory goes back nearly a century. She was isolated apart from her family because she had scarlet fever. Through her daughter, Judi Merlino, she said, “I remember how good it felt to be with the rest of the family and to be allowed to go outside again.”
It was just one of many difficulties she has faced and persevered through. She continued to be active in her latter years, working in education, building a house in Morton with her husband, and raising a family. She isn’t one to sit still even now.
Staying Active And Sharp
Emplit employs weight training, a stationary bike that simultaneously works the arms and legs, and balancing drills at the gym. She reads, sews, and does puzzles to pass the time at home. As part of a post-retirement endeavor that she claims still gives her purpose, she has now sewed over 3,000 pillowcases.
“Get up and get busy.” is her slogan.
Healthy Habits, With Room For Chocolate
No trendy diet is linked to Emplit’s lifespan. She sticks to the basics: chicken, veggies, and lots of time spent outside as a child caring for her vegetable garden and her renownedly delicious tomatoes. She doesn’t completely avoid sweets, but she does restrict red meat. Her favorites? Use butterscotch and dark chocolate lollipops sparingly.
She frequently tells her family, “I don’t like to sit and do nothing,” attributing her vitality to her everyday activities.
From Ice Blocks To iPhones
Emplit finds the rate of change she has seen to be perhaps the most remarkable. She worked as a child, pulling ice blocks in a wagon from the corner store to keep food cold. The refrigerator is the invention that still astounds her the most.
She contributed to technological advancement as well. Emplit worked with her sons to digitize the library at Amosland Elementary, developing a system that was so successful that it was adopted by six other schools in the district.
A Legacy Of Energy And Purpose
For more than a century, Emplit has taught us the same lessons—stay involved, eat well, and never stop learning—through everything from adopting new technology to enduring scarlet fever.
According to her daughter Judi, she is the best mother someone could ask for. I am fortunate to be her child.
