1912 Was a Very Good Year

Posted Nov 19, 2009

 

Here are some national highlights from the year 1912;

  • New Mexico was admitted as the 47th state.
  • RMS Titanic sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Democrat Woodrow Wilson beat Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft in the 28th presidential election.
  • Roland Johnson was born.

“Who is Roland Johnson, and why is he so special?” you may ask.  Well, I guess Roland Johnson’s birth isn’t such a big deal on the national scene, but he’s pretty special to me.  Roland is a camper that I met a few years ago with Lakewood Church of Christ from Baytown, Texas.  This is truly one of my favorite groups in the Free Camp Program, and I look forward to seeing this gang of senior citizens every fall when they hold their annual retreat at Linnet’s Wings.  You may recall that I’ve written about this group a couple of times over the years.  They are a fun-loving bunch with a lot of great stories to tell.  For many, the retreat has become a bittersweet event because they have lost spouses, friends, and loved ones over the last 15 years.  There are some old timers in this bunch for sure, but when it comes to age, Roland eclipses them all.  If you’ve done the math, then you’ve figured it out.  You see,  Mr. Johnson is 97 years old! 

Let that sink in for a minute.  When I think about it, I have to shake my head in amazement.  This gentleman just spent four nights sleeping in a cabin on a 4-inch vinyl-covered foam mattress, and he can’t wait to come back next year! 

Here’s a little more background on Roland:

  • He lost his bride on Valentine’s Day of this year.  They were married for 74 years!
  • He fought in WWII and Korea!
  • After retiring from a career in the military in 1962 (2 years before I was born), he then became a preacher.  But he just did that for 30 years!
  • He plays a mean harmonica and knows about a thousand songs and hymns.  He gave a two-hour concert at this year’s retreat.  I don’t think I could play a harmonica for five minutes before keeling over from asphyxiation!

WOW!  What an inspiration.  What a witness.  What a life of service.  What a privilege to meet this man.  Don’t want to get too optimistic here, but we need to start thinking about how to honor a free camper who is 100!  Wouldn’t that be great?

P.S.  The next time someone gripes at me that the mattresses aren’t very comfortable, I’m going to have Roland give them a call.