108-year-old Susan Young Browne stretching on the floor of her home
Susan Young Browne is 108 years old, and she still drives herself to the grocery store.
Behind the wheel of her blue Subaru, the Dover, Delaware, resident navigates her city with the confidence of someone who has been driving for over 80 years. She recently renewed her driver’s license, which will remain valid until 2033—the year she turns 115.
“In order for me to go to the store, I have to drive,” Browne says. “Anywhere I want to go, I have to drive. I’m an experienced driver. I try to be very careful.”
Her independence extends far beyond the driver’s seat. Browne has lived in the same house for more than seven decades, handling her own daily affairs.
Born on April 24, 1918, in Lincoln, Delaware, Browne grew up on a farm without running water or electricity alongside nine siblings. She attended a segregated elementary school and decided early on that she wanted to teach.
Because local public high schools did not admit Black students at the time, her family paid for her to attend Delaware State College High School. She went on to graduate from Delaware State University in 1945, and today, she is the institution’s oldest living alumna.
Browne taught elementary school for 30 years, beginning her career in a one-room schoolhouse, and helped her first husband run a bus business before retiring in 1977. Now, surviving on just a single daily blood pressure pill, she credits her exceptional health to five straightforward principles.
Move Every Single Day
Browne skips the cane and walker entirely. Her secret lies in a daily morning mobility routine.
Each day begins on the floor. She spends 10 minutes stretching, building strength, and practicing her balance. Afterward, she stands against a wall to perform targeted leg exercises.
Susan Young Browne performing her daily stretching and balancing routine at home.
“She does things I can’t do,” her son, Jim Young, admits.
“I can move better than he,” Browne fires back.
Beyond her living room stretches, she drives herself to the Modern Maturity Center in Dover three days a week to participate in chair dancing classes.
Eat Clean, With One Exception
A lean diet keeps Browne’s engine running. She relies heavily on chicken and fresh fruit, specifically apples, peaches, and blueberries.
Breakfast usually consists of a frozen waffle, cranberry juice, and a cup of black coffee. She completely avoids alcohol and steers clear of heavy fried foods.
“Of course, I like them, but I know I shouldn’t eat them, so therefore I don’t eat them,” Browne explains.
She also cuts out sugar, making only one exception: her signature homemade 7UP cake, baked specifically for family gatherings.
The famous 7UP cake Browne bakes as a rare sweet treat for her family.
Her routine is reinforced by strong genetics. Her daughter, Lynnette Young Overby, notes that longevity runs in the family; Browne’s sister lived to be 103.
Demand Independence
Browne outlived two husbands and made a firm decision never to marry a third time.
“That’s right. I am not taking care of another man,” she says. “I decided when I was left alone that I didn’t need anybody to take care of me, I take care of myself.”
Living alone and driving her own car are non-negotiable terms for her lifestyle. Overby notes that her mother is fiercely determined to maintain this self-reliance for as long as humanly possible.
Keep Your Mind Busy
A sharp mind requires constant maintenance. Browne fills her quiet hours by reading romance novels and solving word puzzles.
She relies on a pocket calendar to keep her active social life meticulously organized.
Browne sitting surrounded by friends and family members at her 108th birthday celebration.
Her community ties remain incredibly strong. She attends church regularly, socializes at the senior center, and remains an active life member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Pi Chapter.
Never Stop Exploring
Throughout her life, Browne prioritized travel. When Alaska and Hawaii officially became U.S. states during her teaching career, she made a point to visit both.
She traveled to Alaska twice and toured international destinations including Spain, Portugal, and Brazil.
Out of everywhere she has stamped her passport, her favorite destination remains Hawaii, simply because “it’s beautiful there.”
