By Blake Deshazo

The Selma Times-Journal

One hundred years is a long time to live, but Selma resident Seymour Cohn has lived every single one of them to the fullest. On Tuesday, Dec. 16 Cohn will celebrate his 100th birthday.

Cohn was born in Atlanta in 1914. To put it into perspective World War I started that year, and Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis were born. Babe Ruth made his major league debut and Charlie Chaplin appeared on the silver screen for the first time. A gallon of gas only cost around 12 cents.

A lot has changed since then, but Seymour’s family said he has remained the same.

“He is a stand up guy,” said Seymour’s son, Rick Cohn. “I think he was that way from the day he was born.”

“He’s always been very friendly, loveable, kind and generous,” said Seymour’s wife June Cohn. “He has all the good qualities.”

Cohn was a major in the Army Air Forces while serving in World War II.

“He has always said he had a great World War II, which I thought was funny,” Rick said. “He said it with so much relish, and it’s true. He did have a great World War II. He was a ranking officer, and the squadron he was in was involved in the liberation of Rome. They were treated quite royally as the people that freed the Italians from Nazi reign.”

After the war was over, Seymour moved back to Selma and married June in 1946. They worked at Eagles department store until opening up their own travel agency called Eagle World Travel. But when Seymour retired at age 75, he dedicated his time to helping others.

“Volunteering was his major interest,” June said. “He volunteered at the library, tutored students at the schools and volunteered at the food bank. He worked everywhere.”

“He’s done everything there is to help in every way he could,” June said. “He had a good life and made a good living, and he felt like it was his turn to give back.”

Seymour’s wife June and his son Rick said he had a few tricks to living such a long life.

“He never drank, he never smoked, and he started walking,” June said. “He used to run around the backyard too.”

June said she can’t keep track of how many friends Seymour has made throughout the years.

“He has so many friends; people I don’t even know,” June said. “People stop me in the grocery and ask me how he is, and I’d tell Seymour, somebody asked me about him today, but I didn’t know who it was.”

With family and friends by his side, Seymour Cohn has lived a long time.

“We’ve had a great life,” June said. “We’ve had a good time, and everything has been pleasant. We’ve had a jolly good life.”