Joe celebrates his 100th birthday today, and we’re all extremely happy to be celebrate such an amazing man. When you stop to think of the mortality rate of his generation of aviators, it’s truly amazing that Joe made it through that early era of aviation, especially having accomplished as much as he did.
As if that, and his record 42 years of commercial flying weren’t enough, today Joe is now a full 40 years past retirement from the airlines, during which time he has learned and done a great many more important things in his life. For example, though Joe took up scuba diving while he was still flying, it was late in his career and he kept up the hobby well into his 70′s. He didn’t even take up snow skiing until just before retirement (certain he’d break a leg, he felt that using up some of his long-accumulated sick leave would be a good way to deal with not getting to fly the 747) and then skied until his mid 90′s.
Other post-retirement activities included learning how to repair televisions, a skill he used to help his mother-in-law and other shut-ins, and buying and learning to program and operate his first computer – a TRS-80. Until his late 90′s, he was delivering Meals on Wheels to senior citizens decades younger than himself and in fact, still drives today though he’s given up the volunteer work finally.
So – not only has Joe had a storied career as an aviation pioneer, he is also an amazing human being, a role model for us all, and my hero.
Today he’s all excited to be interviewed by KOMO 4 News about his induction into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame and have dinner with his children and their spouses. Saturday, we’ll have a larger celebration so all of his neighbors and extended family can participate – the event for which the poster was made. I know he’s honored and overwhelmed at the same time, but no matter how you look at it, the praise is well-earned, the love is real, and we’re all so very glad to continue to have Joe in our lives.
Happy Birthday, Grandy!
