A local veteran celebrated turning 100 this past weekend.
Ray Farringer of Centre Township turned 100 this past Saturday and he celebrated with a party at a local church in North Park.
Ray is originally from Franklin but has moved all over the Western Pennsylvania. When he finished high school, he served two years overseas in England from 1943 to 1945.
After returning from the war he worked in the coal mines for a year and after a second strike due to poor working conditions he found a new job. He then worked at Holland Paterson for many years in the North Side of Pittsburgh. Then he worked at Woodward’s until his retirement.
He was married for 63 years before his wife passed away seven years ago. They two had two children together, two grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren.
Up until he was about 97 years old Farringer was still using a wood heater to heat his home. He would get the wood delivered to his home, chop the wood, and then wake up at 4 am to add more to keep the house heated.
Although he just turned 100 he still remembers the first time he listened to a radio that his dad brought home when he was a kid.
“Dad got a hold of a battery of some kind that he was able to punch different channels into that radio and we listened to Minnie Pearl on Nashville,” said Farringer. “That is one of the first things I can remember.”
When asked what the secret was to making it to 100? Well Ray wishes he could tell you.
“I wish I knew. I’d give it to everybody,” said Farringer.
