Man of the Century

Today would have been my father's 100th birthday.

It is pretty amazing to think one of your parents could be that old. Like most of you, I still think of myself as a twenty or thirty something. Who looks in the mirror and sees an old guy?

Daddy got a head start on being the old man in the family since he didn't get married until he was almost 40. But still, many of the things he did, which an old person normally does, were at or close to my age.

He retired the first time at age 48. I've already passed that birthday. He was proud of the fact that he collected retirement pay from the Air Force for 40 years! He retired from his 2nd career at age 62 and my sister reached that mile marker last month.

He died eleven years ago after being sick for a year and a half. He lived longer than all four of his brothers but not his father who made it to age 93.

A lot of people don't like others recognizing their birthday, but not him. He always had a good time when we had a party for him. His first grandchild was born on the same date so he sometimes had to share the day, but not the cake or candles. This one had 80 on it and he didn't need any help blowing them out.

We had to take it outside so it wouldn't set off the smoke detector.