World War II veteran Kenneth Haas celebrates 100th birthday

It’s Sunday in Kiwanis Park. Cape Girardeau-native Kenneth Haas sits on a lawn chair under Shelter No. 1 as generations of his family, from grandchildren to great-grandchildren, come and take photos with him, shake hands and give him good wishes.

They’ve come to a recent milestone in Haas’s life — his 100th birthday.

“It’s not easy to get to 100,” Haas said, “but I feel OK.”

Haas was born Aug. 16, 1921. He said he’s lived in Cape Girardeau his entire life, except for the three and a half years he spent in the Navy during World War II.

Haas attributes his long life to staying active. Never stop doing what you love, he said.

“I did a lot of hunting and fishing,” Haas said. “Keep active. That’s the secret.”

Haas stopped driving just last month. He hunted turkeys and went on fishing expeditions up until last year, when he decided it was too hard for him to get in and out of a canoe.

“He’s extremely connected to nature,” Haas’ son, Tommy Haas, said. “I think that’s one of the reasons why he’s lived so long. He can tell you the name of any bird or tree.”

Kenneth Haas smiles for a photo during his 100th birthday party at Kiwanis Park on Sunday in Cape Girardeau.MONICA OBRADOVIC

Haas and his wife, Juanita, had three children together: Sue Riehl, Tommy Haas and Sara Doherty.

Juanita Haas passed away Dec. 18, 2004, just 10 days away from the couple’s 51st wedding anniversary. They married at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, where Haas attended first Mass every day until he stopped driving.

Whether he’s at church or the Cape Girardeau Senior Center, Riehl said her father never meets a stranger.

“He always gets to know people and wants to know their stories,” Riehl said at her father’s birthday party. “He has a genuine concern for others.”

Haas’ contagious warmth in part caused him to go viral on Facebook in 2015. A young Burger King employee and aspiring Air Force airman, Divante Nicholson, thanked Haas for his service after spotting Haas’ veterans hat. A diner in the Burger King posted an image on Facebook of Nicholas and Haas. The post soon went viral and garnered national news headlines.

Kenneth Haas, center, celebrates his 100th birthday with his three children, from left, Sara Doherty, Tom Haas and Sue Riehl, at Kiwanis Park on Sunday in Cape Girardeau.MONICA OBRADOVIC

Haas’s service is extremely important to him, according to Tommy Haas.

Ask Haas how old he was when he volunteered for the Navy, and he can tell you his exact enlistment date — July 22, 1942. He was 21 years old.

During the war, Haas served on PT Boat 326 in Squadron 21. Operations took him to the Philippines and up and down the coast of New Guinea.

During his long life, Haas has faced no shortage of near-death experiences. He survived bombings of Japanese troops. He beat prostate cancer at age 63.

Would he change anything if he could?

“No,” Haas said. “I’m a survivor.”