WWII vet celebrates turning 101

It’s a huge milestone for one of the veteran’s at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport. The oldest resident, a Navy WWII veteran, turned 101 years old today.
Navy World War II veteran Miss Marian Ritchie walked out of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport on her birthday, celebrating 101 years of life. Greeted by friends and family, Miss Ritchie put on a fire hat and hopped in a Gulfport fire truck for a birthday ride around the property. Following a happy birthday tribute, Miss Ritchie cut her birthday cake herself. “I’m overwhelmed.I feel great. I’m at a loss for words. ”
Miss Ritchie was with the U.S. Shoreline Patrol out of San Francisco in 1940 and then went on to work with the Department of the Navy in Washington until 1944. Miss Ritchie’s grandson, Eric Keffer said, “She’s gone through a lot of challenges being a woman in the military. People talk about heroes in this day and age and a lot of people don’t realize that the heroes are the people that you bump into every single day.”
If you walk into the hall of honors at the retirement home, there is a picture of Miss Ritchie hanging up on the wall from the 1940s. The World War II vet comes from five generations of family members that served our country. “I feel very blessed to be able to spend days like this and be able to call her my grandmother.”
Miss Ritchie’s advice for making it this far: “Enjoy. When you get your feet on the floor, enjoy the day.”