Retired Marine Col. Warren MacQuarrie, who served as a naval aviator in the Marines for 30 years, celebrated his 100th birthday on March 1, 2023. (Paradise Valley Estates/Facebook)
(Tribune News Service) — A century is a long time. Fairfield resident and proud Marine Corp veteran, Warren MacQuarrie can attest to this.
On Wednesday, MacQuarrie celebrated his 100th birthday with his family and friends at Paradise Valley Estates in Fairfield.
His memorable day included a parade at the Estates, as well as a luncheon with videos showcasing all he has accomplished in his 100 years and a special cake.
“I love to be 100,” exclaimed MacQuarrie.
MacQuarrie served as a naval aviator in the Marines for 30 years. Across World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, he flew 38 different aircraft.
The list of medals MacQuarrie received in his career is long and astounding. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit twice, the Distinguished Flying Cross twice, the Air Medal five times, a Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation twice, an Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three Battle Stars from WWII, an American Campaign Medal in WWII, a Victory Medal in WWII, a WWII Occupational Medal, and a National Defense Service Medal.
He also received a Korean Service Medal with two Battle Stars, a Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with a Gold Star, a United Nations Korean Service Medal, a U.S. Vietnam Service Medal with three Battle Stars, a Korean Presidential Unit Citation, a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, and lastly, a Korean War Service Medal, which was awarded on the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War.
If this doesn’t tell you enough about the centenarian’s military career, you can read the book MacQuarrie wrote when he was 95 years old with his late wife Clara entitled, “Love and War: Our Journey Through Life.”
MacQuarrie and his wife were married for 80 years before she passed at the age of 98 in October of 2022.
They have five children together — Linda Lutz, Warren MacQuarrie Jr., Jean MacQuarrie, Nancy Dunn and Mark MacQuarrie.
During MacQuarrie’s birthday festivities, you could feel the sense of pride each of his children have for the way their father has lived his life and cared for their family.
“Words can not express how proud we are,” said Dunn.
In the 22 years that MacQuarrie has lived at Paradise Valley Estates, his children have attended every event celebrating their father’s milestones, even the ones who reside on the East Coast.
Those events include the MacQuarrie’s 60th anniversary, 70th anniversary, 75th anniversary, and 80th anniversary in September 2022, every birthday, a book signing, and the Marine Corps Birthday dinners, which their father emceed for many years.
In a typical year, all of MacQuarrie’s children come together for their father’s events four to six times.
MacQuarrie credits being happy, loving life, and exercising daily for his longevity. His daughters say he dances and sings every day.
When asked what he is most proud of accomplishing in his 100 years, MacQuarrie exclaimed, “Me!”
“Me” is the perfect word to summarize a storied life that MacQuarrie and his family can be abundantly, endlessly proud of.
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