Living to be one hundred years old is not as rare as it once was

According to the CDC:

• In 1970, there were about 3,000 centenarians in the U.S.

• By 2020, that number had grown to over 97,000.

• The CDC projects that by 2050, the number will exceed 400,000 in the U.S. alone.

• Globally, the United Nations estimates over 600,000 centenarians were alive in 2022, and expects that to reach over 3.7 million by 2050.

The question is, what will life be like after 100 years of living?

In that regard, Ed Vrona, the man you see in our feature image, and long time resident of the Aberdeen Community in Ormond Beach, Florida, set the standard!

Even at his 104th birthday he remained mentally sharp, full of humor, good will, and love for others. Although he was using a walker when we met him at 102, he kept active and did his daily exercise on his recumbent bike. Besides walking to and from the community clubhouse for weekly events, he did some wood-working, entertained guests, and enjoyed his occasional rum and coke on the carport.

Everyone that knew him deeply cherished his friendship and found him a joy to be around.

Where On Earth is Butternut?

Ed’s daughter, Joann tells us that Eddie was born Edward C. Vrona on the 4^th of July, 1919, in Butternut, Wisconsin. Butternut has such a genteel sound to it. Maybe even a bit ‘Mayberry RFD’ish; the perfect place to mark the beginning of a prolific life full of starburst accomplishments and notable celebrations.

In 1926, the Vrona’s moved to Chicago for the sake of better employment and expanded opportunities for the family of eight.

During his childhood Ed worked odd jobs such as paperboy, fish tank assembler, bakery assistant, bowling pin spotter and appliance repair at Sears Roebuck.

During high school is when he truly began to develop his mechanical skills. Taking technical courses like mechanical drawing, shop math, and so on, which would later play out in his time with the Army Air Corp.

World War II Vet, Papua New Guinee

Tech Sgt. Ed Vrona c1945

“Stationed Papua New Guinea during the war where he worked in the machine shop, he often had to use his extraordinary active and creative mind to help keep the military aircraft flying.“

Offering more insight into Ed’s time with the Army, Joann said: “After talking with an Army Air Corp recruiter in late 1940, Ed and his good friend decided to enlist based on the offer of education. He officially entered the Army Air Corp on January 21, 1941.”

“Ed’s tests revealed his mechanical abilities, and he was selected to enter the machinist school; a valued placement. Originally, after basic training, Ed was supposed to go to Africa but instead was assigned to train civilian machinists. From there he was stationed at West Palm Beach as head of the machine shop. Ed’s next assignment was supposed to take him to Australia, but he was detoured once again to the small primitive island of New Guinea running the machine, welding, sheet metal, and prop shops.”

From left, corporal Camilo “Rammy” Ramirez, Corporal Margaret Hastings, and Sergeant Benjamin “Doc” Bulatao. (Photo courtesy of C. Earl Walter, Jr.) [Lost In Shangri-La]

“Ed’s mission was to repair planes to get them back in the air ASAP, usually having to make the parts that were broke. It was during that time he developed a special tool to quicky extract broken spark plugs from planes to return them to the air quicker. Without this fix the planes couldn’t fly. Ed was awarded a special accommodation for his invention from his engineering officer of the line. During his 21 months in New Guinea, Ed’s eternal optimism got him through the oppressive heat, local headhunters, snakes, spiders, wild boars and missing his family.”

War Stories … Straight from the Sargent’s Mouth

Sipping an afternoon rum on his carport, Ed gave us step-by-step of how he and his tent-mate adapted to army life in New Guinea. Together, they built a wooden platform above the wet jungle floor and pitched their tent on it. Veritably setting up jungle housekeeping, they manufactured their own furniture and lived high and dry in that less-than-welcoming environment. Eddie’s ingenuity, intellect, and skill was obvious in every facet of his life, and evident still after we met him.

As was mentioned in Joann’s biography above; Ed allow us to see the hand-drawn diagram of a tool that he invented.  Without it, the broken spark plugs of the B-25 aircraft engines could not be extracted. Eddie manufacture the tool, without which, the aircraft would have remained grounded.

The heroic rescue

On May 13, 1945, C47 transport plane carrying, corporal Camilo “Rammy” Ramirez, corporal Margaret Hastings, and sergeant Benjamin “Doc” Bulatao, crashed deep in the jungle. The entire story of their rescue was recounted in the book: “Lost In Shangri-la” written by Michael Zuckoff. In it, the book tells the story of the lost crew, how they were located, and recounts how the natives cared for and assisted in their amazing rescue.

As he was writing the book, Mr. Zuckoff extensively interviewed Eddie for his perspective regarding conditions and events.

Returning Home From The War

According to Joann’s biography:

Returning to the States once the war ended was the beginning of Ed’s career as a tool and die maker. This, in turn, led to his introduction to the space race. Working for Pioneer Astro in Chicago, he was introduced to JPO, i.e., Jet Propulsion Laboratories. At JPL, he quickly gained the respect of their engineers and became the go-to person for complicated and classified projects.

Ed fondly remembers the challenges of working with Beryllium which was a strong but light weight material essential for the space missions. Ed contributed to the Hubble Telescope, Pioneer and Discover(y) projects (deep space probe), the Polaris project working off the North Star, as well as high-speed space photography. Additionally, he worked on all the early manned programs of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo and is most proud of having parts on the Lunar Landers which remain on the moon.

His only regret is not taking any pictures, never realizing the future impact of his contributions.

During one of our visits, Ed handed us a baseball sized ball of metal. Despite our expecting the weight of a cannon ball, we found it so lightweight that it seemed hollow. However, the ball was, in fact, solid, and as light as an empty egg-shell. The ball was of the beryllium metal mentioned by Joanne in her biography. Ed explained that, not only is is very light-weight, it does not expand or contract under the extreme temperature changes of outer space, and is used within the many facets of space technology.

Georgie…With Whom He Danced Every Day

Ed and Georgie wed (c1947)

The most impressive aspect of Eddie’s life, in this writer’s opinion, was his love for his wife Georgette!

Again, with Joann’s help, we learned:

Ed was married to the love of his life, Georgette, for 68 years having 4 children, 6 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. When the couple retired, they split their time between the Florida Keys and Long Beach, IN. They were committed to healthy activities; always biking, dancing, and swimming.

When asked anything about Georgie, you could see the immediate change in Ed’s demeanor as he spoke of her. It was an instant, far away look as in his heart he was dancing with her again.

He once said to me, “We met on the dance-floor, and we danced every day from then on.”

He spoke to me of a few of the many places that he and Georgie traveled and things they’d done, often speaking of Key West and their favorite places there, but the most memorable to me was their visit to the Seattle, Washington area and their visit of the Quileute Indian Tribe in La Push, Washington, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

He said, laughingly, “Because of our age (near their 80’s when they made the trip), our family said, “You can’t go all that way on your own,” But we did! We had a wonderful time.” He loved talking about his time spent with his Georgie!

The house they built together but couldn’t live in…

Georgie and Ed are seen here with the dollhouse that she and Ed built over a period of ten years. A celebration of loving life they shared together.

“Georgie made the tiny area rugs in the bedroom and living room. Ed assembled the roof out of 960 handmade shingles, added by hand 10 at a time. There are nine different colors in the paint scheme, with the exterior blend of teal and coral inspired by a Victorian home that the couple admired in Key West.” (Jim Abbott, The Daytona Bch. News Journal, May 28, 2023)

“Delicately assemble, every room was furnished, wall-papered, painted, and intricately designed by her and to her liking, as he worked on the structure and she on the interior. The result was a beautiful, finely detailed, three story house that was donated in 2022, and put on display at the Center for Autism, Easter Seals, Northeast Central Florida, 1219 Dunn Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL. Stop by and see it!”

“We met on the dancefloor and danced every day thereafter.”

Again, daughter Joann shared with us,

Ed and Georgette, c1946-1950

“On the day they met in January of 1946, dad asked her to dance. Mom (Georgette) and her sister, Bay (Blanch), were stood up by someone one evening, so about 9_o’clock they decided to go dancing on their own at the “Paradise Dance Hall” in Chicago. As they stood against the wall waiting, Eddie, and his buddy Harold approached and asked if they would like to dance.

“Who gets who,” was the question. So Harold said, “I’ll take the tall one!” Leaving Ed with the lovely leftover, Georgette! Normally, Ed never had more than one dance with any one girl, but not with her. This night, this time, he didn’t stop, and he and mom danced together all that night.” Ironically, his buddy Harold ended up marrying Bay (Blanch), and they remained friends all of their lives.”

In June of 1947,  Eddie and Georgette married and, as Eddie put, “We did not stop dancing the entire 68 years of our marriage.”

Sadly, Georgie (Georgette) died in 2015, and it was obvious from the way he spoke of her that, in his heart, she and Eddie continued dancing, every day.

Knowing Eddie is honor I will cherish always

(Ed Verona, 101 yrs. (2020) on the day we met.)

Already 101 years old and born on the 4th of July, he was, without question, a Yankee Doodle Dandy! Although his eyesight was beginning to fade, nothing slowed him down.

He was still walking to and from the clubhouse, entertained friends, inventing, designing and creating things like wooden angels and other crafts for friends and relatives. He was a friend of all, and a man of countless stories and experiences, a man who, if you got to know him, you would never forget.

That morning we spotted Eddie at the community Coffee Social, we introduce ourselves, and he began an immediate barrage of questions.

A master of oblique compliments, he looked at my wife and then back at me and asked:

“Why’d you marry him? Why’d she marry you? Boy you got lucky!” He laughed.

“Say your last name for me again!”

“Eichenlaub,” I said.

“I can’t say that!” (He laughed again, but repeated the name in a whisper as if to try it out.)

“What should I call you,” he asked.

“We usually pay attention if you use Jim and Kate,” I said.

“That’s better. I can say that. What nationality is that, it sounds German,”

“It is,” I said.

“I thought so. Then you must you like tools…do you have a workshop.” he asked, and I nodded,

“Sure do!” I said,

He laughed again, “Let me ask you something, can you walk and chew gum at the same time?”

“Usually,” I answered. “Depends on how much sleep I get, but most of the time!”

“Good! Then, maybe you can you help me out with a project?”

Having never met him, Kate and I both expected a simple, quick introduction with a “nice to meet you,” but not with Eddie.

He bade us to sit, and once you’ve been introduce you were going to be his friend! If you weren’t, it was by your choice, not his, and since he determined that I knew my way around a workbench, I was immediately, and joyfully recruited as an apprentice elf.

“Stop by my house! You know where I live? First house on the right on Green Forest! Number 3! I have something I want to show you.”

A friend, and a padawan learner…

From then on we were regular visitors. After meeting Eddie, I built seagulls and butterflies that fly, cut out angel wings and other parts for his statues, enjoyed hours of stories and not less than a few very good rum-and-coke drinks! On various occasions he treated us to his own key lime pie recipe, or pickled cucumbers and other treats.

Pączki Day (poonch-key day)

Eddie, which my wife and I did not know, was Polish. The name Vrona in Polish is “Wrona,” as the ‘W’ in Polish has the ‘V’ sound.

As such, Eddie had a traditional annual celebration known as Pączki Day (poonch-key day). We learned from him that this is a once-a-year event celebrated on Fat Tuesday; something that our family was completely unfamiliar with.

Paczki (poonch-key)

The first time that he invited my wife and me to Pączki Day, he asked Kate,

“Do you count calories?” She shook her head, “Not really, but I don’t eat much,” she said.

Well he said, don’t worry to much about it.

They have a machine they use for the Pączki, and they set the pączki in front of the machine, and when they turn it on, a high-speed fan blows the calories right out of them, so you can eat all you want.

And…I buy only one for each person, so that will help too!”

And he’d laugh! That was Eddie! He was rarely without his humor.

With the Pączki was fresh coffee, and as his guests arrived he would check them off the list he’d made on the small white-board that he kept handy for notes. He made it known that if someone failed to show after two or three invitations, they chanced losing and invitation the next time. Regardless, Eddie always shared an upbeat spirit—something unexpected and very endearing.

Remembering Ed Vrona – 104 years of wisdom

Ed Vrona – 104 Years Of Wisdom: Ed celebrated his 104th birthday on July 14, 2023, and sadly, ten days later, he left this life to gain a far better one.

His birthday celebration was held at the Veterans’ Home in Daytona Beach, Florida. An airplane flyover by the U.S. Airforce, a large cake, and a very large crowd of friends and others to share with.

Also honored by Nashville Musician, David Kent, he wrote a song called “Angel Wings” and recorded it for, and about Eddie.

There were many, many other things not covered in this story, and without doubt, many more that I’m certain that I hadn’t the opportunity to hear.

What I do know, without question, is that I was privileged to meet one of the most remarkable men to grace the century in which he lived. Time and again, every story left us shaking our heads in amazement: the space program, Voyager project, Space Shuttles, Hubble Telescope, satellite guidance systems, WWII aircraft, surviving the jungle. But, to top it all: The beautiful, and loving romance of 68 (and a half) years with his soulmate, Georgette.

Remarkably, the world witnessed a real, true-life fairytale.