He learned the value of a hard day’s work in depression-era Oklahoma. He learned a trade at a vocational school just so he could serve his country in WWII. He has learned that life has its losses and gains. And last week, he learned what it’s like to be a century old.

Stephen McGilberry, who has made his home in Wewoka for the past several years, celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday.

“I never thought I’d turn 100, but it turned out to be that way, you know,” McGilberry said. “Me and my brother Cheedle always talked about it. He’ll be 100 before long. He’s 97 now. I’ve outlived many friends.”

McGilberry was born in Kanima, Oklahoma, a small community in Haskell County. His dad was an oilfield worker, which eventually led the family to Seminole, where they stayed about three years before moving to Oklahoma City.

While he was a teenager in Oklahoma City, McGilberry decided he needed to learn a trade, because the United States was on the brink of war and he wanted to lend Uncle Sam a hand.

“I was in high school and had just finished the tenth grade. During that time, we knew that Hitler was invading other countries in Europe and there would be a war sooner or later. I could see it coming,” McGilberry recalled.

“The government had a trade school in Oklahoma City and I knew that since a war was coming, I had better get a trade so I’ll know what to do. I went and learned my trade, and it wasn’t too much longer that Pearl Harbor came along. Within ten days, we had jobs producing materials for the war. I was signed up for the Army, but they called me up one day to come down and take a test. I asked if I could go into a mechanized unit where I had a trade, and they said ‘no, we’ll put you where we want you.’ So I went across the hall and joined the Navy,” McGilberry said.

“I was stationed aboard a CL-12. It wasn’t a real big ship, but it was larger than a destroyer and smaller than a battleship. It had 20 and 40 millimeter anti-aircraft guns and two airplanes aboard,” the navy veteran said.

Until recently, McGilberry managed the tool room at Wewoka Pawn Shop, which is owned by his son, Charles.

“I’ve only known him to miss one day of work,” Charles said. “He still drives, cooks for himself and takes care of the weed-eating.”

Charles described his dad as a “very gentle person who doesn’t get excited” and said he exercised every day as long until only recently.

McGilberry has four children, including three sons and a daughter, and served for many years as a deacon at Indian Nations Church in Seminole.