Elizabeth held her mother's hand as she gazed across the harbor to the warships that sailed into Elliott Bay.

President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet, on a world tour, arrived in Seattle on May 23, 1908 and more than 400,000 citizens attended the gala.

If it were not for a doctor's order, Elizabeth might not have seen it at all.

Elizabeth DeGroote, nee Gambee, was born Oct. 8, 1901 in Chicago, but she and her family moved to Seattle's Capitol Hill the next year.

By 1904, a younger sister developed breathing problems and a doctor ordered the family to move to the country for the sake of the child. After some deliberation he decided to move to West Seattle's Admiral District, which consisted of tree covered hills.

The family left behind the little boat rides on Lake Union and the excitement of the Broadway District.

Elizabeth's view fleet entering the harbor was from the viewpoint near the top of Admiral Way. It was the only road up from the streetcar line coming across the tide flats along what is now Spokane Street.

Elizabeth recalls all-day excursions to Seattle to shop. On nice days they would take the ferry while the bay breezes ruffled their skirts. She remembers still that she lost her favorite pink hat to the wind on one trip.

Issac and Margaret Gambee settled into their country life. Issac cleared the land and his job at Swift Meat Packing Plant got them by.

He hired a Swedish contractor to build a small home with a "nice large kitchen" near 44th and Andover St. Indoor plumbing was a luxury in 1904 and they had a "two-holer" out back.

With daughters Elizabeth, Mildred and Margaret they lived the hard scrabble, but happy life.

"We were land poor," Elizabeth recalls, remembering being ashamed they could not afford a front porch.

Her dad worked hard at the plant to pay taxes and improvements, but the porch remained a dream. A swing in the backyard cherry tree was near the bountiful vegetable and flower gardens tended by her mother.

Living in the "country" posed a few problems. One would expect to see wild game. For this reason the elementary school boys carried rifles for protection.

By 1908 Elizabeth went to West Seattle School (now Lafayette Elementary). Elizabeth was a shy, but excellent student showing prowess in art and language. She and her best friends, Edna Fowler, Helen Keck and Carlotta Hills, often played on and around old tree stumps near Schmitz Park. They would solve the "world's problems" there.

Through high school boys were not part of the picture and it wasn't until. It was not until attending the University of Washington that Elizabeth says she came out of her shell.

"I decided to be different," she beams. "I learned to flirt."

Ed became her first love, first kiss, and there was Bill too. She had many male friends, but remained loyal to her studies in architecture, art and design. She made the college honor roll and the Mortar Board and was a member of Phi Mu Sorority.

Elizabeth designed and sold sportswear after college. She had big plans and saved her money.

She hatched a plan with Edna Fowler to travel to Paris. Future husband Lawrence helped her.

In Paris, for more than a year, she studied ancient and modern art while living cheaply on a pension. She learned Latin dancing from the "South American boys." But that year-plus was enough and homesickness brought her in 1925 to New York.

Lawrence greeted her at the dock then they picked out wedding jewelry and were married at The Little Chapel Around the Corner.

"We had a lovely train ride across the country for a honeymoon", Elizabeth recalls.

Lawrence's love of the outdoors led him to forestry work while Elizabeth landed a job at Seattle's St. Nicolas School teaching art history for $60 a month.

Life was good until the Depression. In the early 1930's Lawrence lost his job, but the couple considered themselves fortunate.

"We had many friends," she says. "We shared wild duck dinners on Mercer Island." The family loved fishing and Lawrence was considered quite the expert on trout and steelhead.

By 1938 things improved. Lawrence took a job in Idaho and then in Snoqualmie National Forest.

Carolyn was the first born, in 1931, and they welcomed Robert in 1942. They built a Royal Barry Wills Colonial home on land next to Issac and Margaret on 44th Avenue.

Within 20 years Lawrence had passed away, but the children were grown.

Elizabeth began teaching at Alki School in 1956, where for 12 years she taught kindergarten and studied for her Ph.D. She was very active in the West Seattle Art Club.

In 1965 she sold the family home and moved to just north of Burien.

In 1968, Elizabeth was ready to retire, but not settle down. A teaching job opened up in Japan and, when a close friend opted out of the position, Elizabeth passed the required physical and flew to Fukuoka, Japan, about 550 miles southeast of Tokyo. There she taught English to young Japanese.

A second retirement in 1970 brought Elizabeth back to her home in Shorewood where she remained until 1995. During this time she enjoyed working on her watercolors, took trips abroad, attended workshops and senior center classes while staying connected to her many friends.

Elizabeth currently lives near her daughter Carolyn in Sherwood, Ore., and she will celebrate her 107th birthday in October. And here she will have a front porch.

Rob Clay is the pseudonym for a Seattle area resident who may be reached at wseditor@robinsonnews.com