At 100, he's fit as a fiddle, still swimming

 Archie M. Gatrost doesn’t hear too well. But other than that, the 6-foot, 150-pound centenarian, who has a full head of silver-white hair, is in “excellent health.”

The longtime Independence resident, who became a centenarian on April 24, doesn’t wear eyeglasses and has all his original teeth – except for the two he lost as a child when he ran into a telephone pole riding his bicycle.

Archie’s  daughter, Karen Campbell, says her father’s teeth are still in great shape, as is his lean and trim body.

Calling her father an exercise freak, Karen says he’s very regimented in exercising, in eating good, in taking care of his health and in drinking lots of water.

He’s a fixture at the Independence YMCA, where he swims five days a week with his many friends. Archie has been doing this since his wife, Mildred, died in 1978.

What is more amazing, though, is that Archie drives himself to the “Y,” as well as any place he wants to go. And that includes the homes of  his children – Karen Campbell,

Archie Gatrost Jr. and Al Gatrost – all of whom live in Eastern Jackson County. His oldest daughter, Millie “Rosebud” Avery, lives in Atlanta, Ga.

When Archie isn’t swimming at the ‘Y,’ he exercises by walking at Independence Center, by walking the trail  along the Little Blue River or by walking in his neighborhood.

So regimented is Archie, that he starts and ends each day exercising, which includes massaging his head at least 100 times at night.

“That’s why he has all that hair,” Karen said with a chuckle.
“For his age, I think (his health) is excellent. He’s never been hospitalized, he takes no medication and only goes to the doctor when we make him go,” she said. “That’s wonderful.”

Amazing is another word the family uses to describe Archie. Amazing he learned how to ski on snow at age 72 and on water at 86. Even more amazing, Archie put in most of the electrical wiring in an addition to his daughter’s home when he was 94.

Sitting around the kitchen table in Archie’s home, where he has lived since 1962, Karen Campbell and Diane Gatrost, Archie’s daughter-in-law, told stories about Archie’s kindness and thoughtfulness to others.

Diane, who is married to Al Gatrost, told about the time Archie gave away his new month-old washing machine and dryer to a family who had come on hard times and needed both appliances.

On another occasion, “He gave his car away to a family in need and went out and purchased another one,” Diane said. “He is so thoughtful and kind and wants to make sure everybody else is taken care of. And like he said, ‘I don’t need anything.’”

Born to Forrest and Sadie Gatrost on April 24, 1908, in a rural community near Duluth, Minn., Archie related in a strong voice how his family moved to western Texas in a Model-T to homestead when he was about 8 years old.

“In those days, the roads were not paved,” Archie said. “They were dirt roads, and if it rained, you were driving in gutters – not tracks.”

Archie, who attended a one-room schoolhouse for two or three years in Marfa, Texas, graduated from high school, where he excelled in football, basketball and track.

“I was quarterback on our high school team for two years ... and was the captain of the team,” he said, recalling he wore “little, short shoulder pads” and a helmet that covered the top of his head.

Wanting to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps after graduating from high school, Archie went to San Antonio, Texas, where he waited three years before being accepted into the Corps in 1926. The Air Corps later became a separate unit – the U.S. Air Force.

Archie served nearly 28 years in the military – but not as a pilot. During World War II, he was attached to the 5th Air Force Service Command in the Southwest Pacific,  where he received the Legion of Merit Award from Gen. Douglas McArthur for developing washing machines to clean the clothes of the 600 men stationed at a fighter base in New Guinea.

When the Pacific war came to an end in 1945 with the dropping of two atomic bombs, Archie was in Okinawa waiting to invade Japan. Following Japan’s surrender, Archie’s unit took over the airfield in Tokyo.

Following the war, Archie began a second career. He  took a Civil Service job at the Truman Library and Museum, where he was in charge of ground and electrical maintenance. He took an early retirement when his wife, Mildred, whom he married in 1940, was diagnosed with cancer. She died a few years later.

The week of April 20 -26 was a special one for Archie. He attended a birthday party at the YMCA on April 24 and was honored April 26 at an open house at South Crysler Restoration Branch.

When asked what he contributed his longevity to, Karen answered for her father, who has having difficulty hearing the questions.

“I think eating nutritionally, drinking lots and lots of water and exercising,” she said. “If we (his children) had a health problem, he would say: ‘How much water have you drunk? You’ve got to drink water.’”

Karen says her father is enjoying life and would like to live as long as he can take care of himself.

“If he can’t,” she said, “he wants the Lord to take him home.”

But until the Lord calls you home, Archie, keep on doing what you have always told
your family and friends to do: “Let’s not get excited here. Keep your feet on the ground.”

Happy Birthday! Archie. May we all follow in your footsteps.