Veteran Richard Overton Nears 109th Birthday With Yard Work and Whiskey
AUSTIN, Texas—As he closes in on his 109th birthday later this month, Richard Overton said he is enjoying his growing renown as one of the nation’s oldest living World War II veterans—and one who continues to drive, tend his lawn here, and partake of whiskey and small cigars.
“I smoke at least 12 Tampa Sweet cigars a day,” said Mr. Overton, a U.S. Army veteran, who visited President Barack Obama at the White House in 2013 and has been feted by more Texas politicians than he can catalog.
Married several times, but with no children, Mr. Overton has held several jobs during the years, including a long stint at a local furniture store. In his eighties, he worked in the mailroom for Gov. Ann Richards, the Democrat who held office from 1991 to 1995. He has admirers, however, in both parties.
In 2013, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry came to his house with a gift—a bottle of whiskey, according to Earlene Love, a 91-year-old friend who lives with Mr. Overton and helps take care of him. “He talked to us for half an hour,” said Ms. Love, who also accompanied Mr. Overton to the White House in 2013.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/veteran-richard-overton-nears-109th-birthday-with-yard-work-and-whiskey-1430696172?KEYWORDS=yard+work+cigars+as+veteran+nears+109
= new reply since forum marked as read
(not into cigars but hell, he's earned it)
