POMPANO BEACH, Fla. \u2014 \u201cA hundred is just a number,\u201d says Joseph Sarkissian \u2014 though what a number it is.<\/p>\n
Family and friends gathered this weekend to celebrate Sarkissian\u2019s 100th birthday, honoring a life defined by service, faith, and love of family.<\/p>\n
Born on Nov. 2, 1925 \u2014 when a house cost about $6,000 and a new car just $300 \u2014 Sarkissian came of age during the Great Depression. At 18, he was drafted into World War II and served proudly in the U.S. Navy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI sailed three quarters of the world \u2014 from England to South America,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s my country. My obligation to join the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the war, the GI Bill helped Sarkissian earn several degrees, including a master\u2019s from Columbia University. It was at a church dance that he met his late wife. The couple moved to Boca Raton in 1985 to be closer to their two daughters.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been planning this for about two years now,\u201d said daughter Rose Brcey. \u201cWe wanted him to make it to a hundred \u2014 especially after all he\u2019s lived through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sarkissian\u2019s family describes him as a devoted community member and man of faith who still reads the newspaper and watches the news daily.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe never imagined he\u2019d live to be 100,\u201d said daughter Liz Gassew. \u201cThe most amazing thing is he still has his mind \u2014 and his humor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the special birthday surprises were a signed Miami Dolphins football, a blessing from the Pope, and a proclamation from the mayor of Pompano Beach declaring Nov. 2, 2025, Joseph Sarkissian Day.<\/p>\n
And when asked his secret to longevity? Sarkissian\u2019s answer was simple: \u201cPrayer. Be faithful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Longevity seems to run in the family \u2014 his great-grandfather reportedly lived to be 119.<\/p>\n
As the crowd sang \u201cHappy Birthday,\u201d one thing was clear: for Joseph Sarkissian, a hundred is much more than a number \u2014 it\u2019s a testament to a life well-lived.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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