J. Doyle Lutz of Good Hope was born on farm near Marietta on September 2, 1920. Which means he turns 103 on Saturday --and he’s feeling good about it.
“I celebrate every day. Every day is a good day for me,” he said.
Even though people are living longer on average these days, it’s still quite rare for someone to make it to 100. Much less 103.
Doyle knows it. “How many that are 103 do you know?”
His secret, he said, is living a good life.
“I never had any desire to smoke or drink beer. My drinking was lemonade and tea and milk and good old water. You can’t beat it!” he said.
But his wife Eunice said there’s more to it than that. She said Doyle farmed his entire life and was always active.
“He was still doing hay at 90. Driving the tractor at 98. And mowing up until he had a stroke – he had a stroke in ’22. We rode horses well into his 90s,” she said.
The couple will celebrate their 42nd anniversary in November.
They met at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Macomb.
“We liked to dance. I love horses. He had 30-some horses at one time. We just had so many things in common,” Eunice said.
“There’s 28 years (difference) between us, and some people raised their eyebrows about that. But it’s worked.”
Eunice says Doyle’s parents eventually moved to a farm in Sciota before buying the farm near Good Hope. She said Doyle has lived there at least 75 years, perhaps closer to 80.
She said in addition to the horses, he had cattle and grew corn and beans. But his farming days are now behind him.
“He’s retired finally, he says. The only livestock he has is our dog,” she said.
Tippy, an Australian Shepherd, is credited with saving Doyle’s life a number of years ago.
Eunice said Doyle had driven a tractor off an eight-foot embankment. The wind chill was -23, and the lights on the tractor wouldn’t come up.
“He was down in the creek on his side, and the dog saved him. When the boys went hunting for him – and this was at night – the dog came up and led them down to where Doyle was,” Eunice said.
Doyle helped raise three boys and two girls. There are four grandchildren and four great grandchildren, with a fifth one on the way.
Doyle does not get around much since the stroke last year. But he’s still a happy camper.
“Not a worry in the world!” he said.
James Doyle Lutz has no worries, and a party to look forward to -- the 103rd birthday party in a life well-lived.
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