By LOIS KINDLE
World War II veteran George Green may not be as active as he used to be, but that doesn’t stop him from pursuing his favorite activities – working out at the gym and following the stock market.
The 99-year-old Sun City Center resident is a bit of a Renaissance man, having served in the European Theater in World War II, earned a degree in finance, been an entrepreneur and traveled the world over during his lifetime.
Born in the small community of Sabin, Minn., Green joined the army in 1942 and was sent to Marseilles, France, as an Army combat engineer.
Nonagenarian George Green says the standing triceps pushdown is the only exercise in the gym he does standing up. The others are all seated.
At 99 years old, George Green does 60 reps at 85 pounds on the seated chest press machine. He’s seen here taking a break after the first 20 reps.
“We blew things apart,” he said, noting his work included jobs like disrupting German supply lines. By the end of the war, his unit was sent to Germany to help free prisoners.
When he left the military, I had a few jobs, but they didn’t amount to much, so I went to college, joined the Army Reserves and was promoted to 1st lieutenant.
Green graduated in 1951 from the University of Oregon, left the military and bought a business two years later doing security investigations for companies.
“I made sure people didn’t cook the books,” he said, grinning.
He retired at age 66.
The soon-to-be centenarian has had a lifelong interest in exercising. He said he jogged as a child with a guy who trained as a lightweight fighter by jogging by his home every night.
World War II veteran George Green heads for his workout with caregiver Suzanne Whitfield. The 99-year-old usually comes to the gym on his own.
LOIS KINDLE PHOTOS
Sun City Center resident George Green, 99, gets set to head home in his 2016 Tesla, after working out at the SCC Community Association gym.
“The neighbors thought we were robbers and called the police, so we moved to the high school track after that,” he said. “I started exercising in earnest when I was 26. I read about an Italian bodybuilder, whose name I can’t remember, who inspired me.”
Still in his 20s, Green got into swimming as a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club, completing 60 laps of the pool at the time.
“My exercises now are all seated except for the standing triceps pushdown,” he said. “My exercises help me sleep.”
Green has two daughters from his first marriage, four grandsons and three great grandchildren.
He drives himself in his red, 2016 Tesla to the Sun City Center Community Association gym for his biweekly, late-afternoon workouts.
Aside from a partial hearing loss, “he’s in great health,” said caregiver Suzanne Whitfield. “He eats a good breakfast of oatmeal and fruit, skips lunch and has dinner at 5 or 6 p.m.
George Green does 25 reps at 25 pounds on the seated bicep curl at the SCC Community Association gym.
“He was a Life Master bridge player for years and only stopped playing about six months ago,” Whitfield said. “He watches baseball and the stock market. His favorite team is the Tampa Bay Rays.”
Green said he used to ballroom dance on cruises, a skill that made him popular with the ladies. He also studied philosophy, he said.
“He quite the character,” said Whitfield, who’s genuinely fond of him and his wife Ouida. “I love him to death. He’s got a great sense of humor, likes to joke and has a million stories to tell. Plus he has a great outlook on life.”
So what’s the secret to Green’s long life?
“I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t fraternize with loose women,” he said, smiling once more with that impish grin.