World Warfare II veteran asking for 100 playing cards for a centesimal birthday
A milestone birthday requires a particular present.
To mark 100 years on this planet, Harold Myers is hoping to obtain 100 birthday playing cards. Dan Smith, Myers’ grandson, truly got here up with the concept.
Harold and his spouse of 72 years, Margaret, are also planning a celebration from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. June 5 at Kingwood Heart Gardens. His birthday is June 8.
“We’ve roughly 150 folks coming,” Margaret mentioned. “We preserve pondering of extra. Whenever you dwell so lengthy, you understand lots of people.”
A local of Morrow County, Harold grew up in Lexington, the place his household had a farm. A niece has the home now.
In 1942 on the age of 20, he was drafted into the U.S. Military.
Harold spent 11 months in England and 17 extra in France throughout World Warfare II, finally attaining the rank of employees sergeant.
“I used to be in quartermasters,” he famous.
Quartermaster is a army time period, the that means of which is dependent upon the nation and repair. In land armies, a quartermaster is mostly a comparatively senior soldier who supervises shops or barracks and distributes provides and provisions.
Myers was stationed abroad throughout WWII
“It did not hassle me. I did not get homesick,” Harold mentioned of his 28 months abroad. “I missed my mother and father, naturally, however I did not make a difficulty of it.”
When he returned dwelling, Harold began working on the Mansfield and Tire Rubber Co. He and Margaret labored within the workplace.
“That is the place I met Sweetie Face,” Harold mentioned of his future spouse.
Margaret mentioned, “We had an enormous workplace. There have been a number of women there. I used to be a brand new face.
“He simply got here up and requested me for a date. He wasn’t backward, nonetheless is not.”
When the corporate closed in 1978, Harold labored at G&L Provide Co. for the subsequent 10 years as a salesman.
He finally wound up spending 21 years working for Interstate Optical, additionally as a salesman.
“Once I reached the age of 90, they retired me,” Harold mentioned.
He and Margaret raised three youngsters. Two sons dwell in Columbus, whereas their daughter, Ellen Smith, has handed away.
All three graduated from Malabar and went to school.
Smith put collectively a meticulous scrapbook of her father’s service within the army. The scrapbook is embellished with many black-and-white images of Harold and his Military buddies.
Myers missed camaraderie of the army
“The one factor I can say concerning the army is the camaraderie,” he mentioned. “They have been all good ones. If you happen to discovered a nasty one, you simply crossed him off the checklist.
“They have been boys to begin with, but it surely did not take lengthy till they grew to become males.”
World Warfare II would do this to you. So would rising up through the Nice Despair as Harold did.
His class at Lexington had solely six youngsters within the first grade. There have been 31 in his graduating class. Solely two are nonetheless round.
He and Margaret have lived of their dwelling on the south aspect of Mansfield for a few years.
For the June 5 celebration, family members are coming from as distant as Arizona, Colorado and Florida.
“This can be a particular one,” Margaret mentioned. “That is going to be a remaining reunion.”
Anybody who want to ship a card to Harold is requested to take action by the top of Might. Playing cards ought to be mailed to P.O. Field 310, Ontario, 44862.
“He’ll most likely look them again and again and over,” Margaret mentioned of the playing cards.
Harold added, “I am going to most likely kind them out and preserve them for references.”
Carrying a black, brown and grey sweater and cozy home footwear in his lounge, Harold mirrored on the previous 100 years.
“I’ve achieved the American dream,” he mentioned.
Margaret famous, “He is been an exquisite individual — more often than not. He might say the identical factor about me.”
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Twitter: @MNJCaudill
This text initially appeared on Mansfield Information Journal: Mansfield man who served in WWII asking for playing cards for a centesimal birthday
