MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Cliff Beaupre is going to turn 100 years old on Sunday.
- Cliff spent his life serving his country and building his family
- Now, nearly 100, he says to cherish life and spend it well
- Cliff will have his birthday part this weekend ahead of turning 100 on Sunday
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Cliff Beaupre has been around the world and back to Manitowoc.
This weekend is his birthday, but it's not just any birthday. It's the 100th year birthday of a World War II veteran and a man that built his family here.
Cliff Beaupre is officially 100 years old Sunday.
"I guess I lived good,” he said. “I lived a good life."
A life spent as a veteran and a family man.
"It's wonderful,” said his daughter-in-law Sara. We've got a lot of time. Not many people can say that."
Sara is just one member of his large family. A family Cliff began building nearly 80 years ago after returning home from service in World War II.
"We used to ride horseback and then check the beach,” Cliff recalled. “To see if there was anyone come up on the beach or something, like the Germans."
As he looks back on his photo from nearly 80 years ago, Beaupre says memories flood back in,. both good and bad.
"Holy Christ! That's a long time ago,” he said.
Cliff told me he spent those years with people he grew to love. Beaupre talked about the end of the war when he was stationed in the Philippines.
"It's quite an experience to see all that stuff there," he emotionally said. “You know it's really something right now … when I think about all of that stuff."
But through those memories, both painful and happy, Cliff enters his second century with a smile that could brighten up any room.
Cliff says that he only has one piece of advice ahead of his 100th birthday.
"You live life to the fullest!” he said.
