When an attractive woman enters the house where Gilbert Salazar lives, she is likely to see a slender, white-haired man with sparkling eyes turn and say “Hi Doll!” He’s used this line for years, ever since he first said it to a pretty woman in the post office and she gave him a hug. With that positive result, he decided he should do it more often. Coming from this vibrant 94 year old WWII Veteran, it’s a greeting any woman would appreciate!
Gilbert has spent his life helping people. His cheerful attitude and fun sense of humor makes him a delight to all those around him. Prior to moving into to Quality Life Homes in Laguna Niguel last year, he lived in the little town of Antonito, Colorado – a town that has more bars than gas stations. Although he was born in Antonito, up until the 1970’s he did not have an official birth certificate so with a twinkle in his eye he tells people he was hatched, not born! Everybody in town knows him…and everybody loves him. In 2014, his hometown honored by naming him Grand Marshall for the annual Labor Day Parade.
Gilbert grew up during the depression and lived a humble life. He was one of thirteen children and at times he had to wear cardboard in his shoes, like many others also did in those days. One of his favorite childhood stories is how he traded cigarette butts for apples. His father was a traveling car salesman and Gilbert worked for him until he was in the 11th grade before he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. He served proudly and upon his return finished his education.
photo: Gilbert on a Nazi plane that U.S. troops shot down.
Gilbert served our country during WWII as part of the ground troops in the 979th Military Police Aviation unit. He remembers that they entered Germany via the Rhine River and the ship had a big ramp out to land, just like in the movies. Even though his memory is not what it used to be, he still recalls these details as though they happened yesterday. One of his responsibilities as an Aviation Military Police Officer was to guard the American planes. He told me one night it was so cold that he climbed inside the plane to get warm and almost got into trouble when they couldn’t find him and thought he had left his post! He is proud to have served his country during WWII and one of his favorite photos is on the left. That’s Gilbert leaning on a Nazi airplane which American pilots had shot down.
During most of WWII he was stationed in Bad Neustadt, Germany. While he was there, he met a beautiful blonde fraulein named Marianna Besselmann with whom he would go dancing. He became friends with the family and after the war sent them care packages of clothes and other things from America. His daughter Lisa discovered a letter from Marianna’s uncle thanking him for the packages. In the letter their situation in Germany after the war sounded very dire. They were extremely grateful to him for his continued caring and assistance. This is just one example of Gilbert’s kindness and generosity which he has shown throughout his life.
After the war, when he had returned to Antonito, he owned a gas station. Besides pumping gas, he was the auto mechanic and also would paint cars. When people couldn’t afford to pay him, he gave them credit and accepted “IOU” stubs so they could get to where they needed to go. He has a whole box of IOU stubs that were never paid for. Gilbert has had many other jobs during his long life, including selling pots and pans door to door, and worked very hard to keep food on the table for his eight children. In the 1960’s he was a school bus driver. All the children loved him. One of the kids he used to drive now drives the bus for the Senior Center in Antonito and has very fond memories of him as her childhood driver. She loves “paying it forward” by transporting Gilbert and others to their activities at the Senior Center.
In the late 60’s, Gilbert worked at a perlite mine located in a very small town an hour away in New Mexico. The tiny town is called “No Agua” which means “no water”….probably why it’s so small! Perlite is a natural substance and is a type of volcanic glass. It is used in a variety of building materials, soil preparations and even toothpaste. It requires breaking up the big rocks with an industrial sized hammer. He worked there for 25 years and knew just where to hit it to break it. He was more efficient than men twice his size and half his age! As a secondary job, he drove a bus for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, an historic steam train that transports tourists from Antonito to Chama, New Mexico through the beautiful Colorado and New Mexico mountains. In addition to his work, he served his town as a volunteer fireman and was very active in the American Legion and his church parish.
Gilbert attributes his current excellent health at age 94 to always being active. Weather permitting, he rode his bicycle to and around his little town and if he wasn’t riding he would be walking. When he retired from the perlite mine, he started exercising every morning. He would get up and lay on the floor, stretching and doing exercises. He also has always been a dancer. He loves to dance and is still very good at it! He met his wife Ruth at a dance. They were married in 1947, and Gilbert claims that the reason he became such a good dancer was because his wife was a good dancer and she really taught him how. They actually won dance contests so obviously she did a good job! He and Ruth were married for 59 years until her passing in 2006. They had eight children — or rather SHE had eight children. When I asked Gilbert how many children he had, he replied “I didn’t have any (long pause)….my wife had them all!” He has no shortage of family members. From those eight children he has 23 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren!
Gilbert is dedicated to his Catholic faith and thanks God for all his blessings, including his family and the home where he lived for 65 years. Gilbert helped build that home in Antonito with materials from a local old church. His daughter said: “He used to help everybody. He was always surrounded by friends. He is a giving, caring, generous man.” Certainly all the ladies at the Senior Center appreciated him in his later life. They would call and ask if he was going to be attending the monthly dances because they all wanted to dance with him. He danced his whole life, for every occasion, and is still dancing at age 94 at his new home at Quality Life Homes in Laguna Niguel when Howie “the guitar man” from Flashback Music Memories comes every week to sing for the residents. One of Gilbert’s favorite sayings is: “I’ll take any woman if she’s beautiful and if she dances!”
photo: Gilbert dancing with daughter Lisa at Quality Life Homes
Gilbert’s parting words to me after the interview were “If there’s anything I like more than women, it’s MORE women!” It’s clear to me that he believes all women are beautiful if they have the right spirit. His spirit is unstoppable. Despite the fact he has lost his independence and is now in assisted living, his attitude is still positive, cheerful and vibrant. Every time I see him, he makes me feel good. He is still giving something to all those around him and is truly an inspiration. I can’t wait to go back and hear his cheerful greeting “Hi Doll!”
Deborah Garrett is an Ambassador of Joy, dedicated to enhancing the lives of “seasoned” adults in assisted living through her company Flashback Music Memories and upcoming new venture Living Vibrant Lives.