Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

WWII Veteran Celebrates 100th Birthday, Says God Has ‘Been Good to Me’

Image: Andrea Morris/CBN
Image: Andrea Morris/CBN
Share Tweet
By CBN News
Contributor

August 31, 2020

By Andrea Morris

Nearly 50 cars, trucks, and motorcycles circled Mt. Pleasant Mennonite Church in Chesapeake, VA on Saturday for a World War II veteran’s centennial birthday celebration.

Drive-by birthday parades have been popping up around the country, allowing family and friends to celebrate together, but from a distance due to COVID-19.

Bill Macomber turned 100 on Aug 6, but his family members were unable to host a drive-by party so it was rescheduled.

His daughter, Cherry Smithson helped organize the event and was overjoyed to finally be able to honor her dad’s big day.

She told CBN News they weren’t letting anything get in the way — not even the possibility of bad weather.

“We stopped looking at the weather forecast,” Smithson said. “We have been looking so forward to this.”

Smithson said she used to tell her father, “You have to make it to your 100th birthday,” she explained.

Now that he’s reached that milestone, she’s encouraging him to see his wife’s 100th birthday. “I tell him, you have to make it to her 100th. It means the world to me to have them both here,” Smithson added.

Helen Macomber will be 99-years-old in November. The couple has been married for 76 years and the bond between them is just as strong today as it was when they were first married.

Mr. Macomber, who is originally from Georgia, settled in Virginia during the 1940s after serving in the Navy. While in the military, he was assigned to the USS New Mexico.

Since then he’s kept himself busy with woodworking and his favorite pastime — scroll- saw art.

When he was 56, he went on a mission trip to Bolivia to work as a carpenter and handyman. During that trip, he helped build classrooms, desks, and chapel benches “because he felt that the Lord told him to go,” Smithson explained.

One thing that has endured throughout his long life is having steadfast faith in our Heavenly Father.

Mr. Macomber cited Psalm 121 as the source for his hope:

I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

“He’s been good to me…to let me live this long,” Mr. Macomber told CBN News. “He must have something He wants me to do.”

And this centenarian hasn’t lost his sense of humor. When asked how it felt to be 100-years-old, he said “like it feels to be 99.”

Latest

  • Faith

    He Died and Visited Heaven? 20 Years Later, Colton Burpo Revisits Claims He Met Jesus

  • Life

    Pregnancy Center Leader Reveals ‘Violent Attacks,’ Chaos as She Fact Checks ‘Fake Clinics’ Myths

  • Faith

    As Robert Morris Case Continues, How Should Christians Interpret Such Scandals?

  • News

    Joe Rogan Stuns With Skepticism of Big Bang, Proclamation About Jesus’ Resurrection

  • culture

    Humans Give Off Light That Extinguishes at Death, New Study Reveals


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

  • He Died and Visited Heaven? 20 Years Later, Colton Burpo Revisits Claims He Met Jesus
  • Pregnancy Center Leader Reveals ‘Violent Attacks,’ Chaos as She Fact Checks ‘Fake Clinics’ Myths
  • As Robert Morris Case Continues, How Should Christians Interpret Such Scandals?
  • Joe Rogan Stuns With Skepticism of Big Bang, Proclamation About Jesus’ Resurrection
  • Humans Give Off Light That Extinguishes at Death, New Study Reveals

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture
  • culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.