PORT ST. JOE, Fla. (WMBB) — An Army veteran, a husband, a dad… Ralph Macomber has reached a lot of milestones in his life— but this may be the biggest one yet.
Macomber turned 100 years old on Sunday.
Friends, family and community members gathered to celebrate Macomber and his legacy. It was a surprise they reportedly kept for months.
“I don’t know how they kept it a secret, something as big as this,” Macomber said. “But my grandson almost let it out at the house [Sunday] morning. They said, ‘Shh.’ I couldn’t figure out what was going on.”
Macomber was born in Philadelphia back in 1922.
He survived the Great Depression, and he even became acquainted with baseball player Babe Ruth and actress Bette Davis.
Macomber also served in the Army Air Corps.
Tyndall Air Force Base’s 325th Fighter Wing Honor Guard and the Port St. Joe High School Navy JROTC honored Macomber throughout the celebration.
The City of Port St. Joe even made a proclamation for Macomber, honoring his life.
“In addition to being a great husband and father, Ralph is also a veteran of the greatest generation,” Florida District 7 Representative Jason Shoaf read from the proclamation. “Please join, with his family, in wishing him a very, very great one-hundredth birthday. We hope that there are many more, and thank you for your service.”
U.S. Congressman Neal Dunn is also scheduled to surprise Macomber at his home for his birthday this upcoming week.
“It’s the biggest surprise I’ve ever had in my life,” Macomber said. “I’ve been alive a long time, been a lot of places. But I’ve never expected anything like this. Never. I love every one of them.”
Cheers to 100 years, Mr. Macomber.
