‘The king of the town.’ SLO County veteran celebrates his 107th birthday with a parade
One of the oldest, if not the oldest, San Luis Obispo County residents celebrated his 107th birthday Sunday afternoon complete with a parade of fire engines, bicycles, motorized chairs and decorated cars.
Santa Margarita resident Henry Barba sat in his front yard with his family and some friends to watch around 50 people go by and wish him a happy birthday.
Residents, young and old, waved to Barba and dropped off birthday cards as he sat in his front yard, donning a Dodgers face mask.
“Beautiful, it’s beautiful,” Barba said of the parade.
Barba, who will turn 107 Monday, was born and has lived in the San Luis Obispo County town his whole life.
His great niece Carol Donlon called him “the king of the town.”
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“Everybody knows him, it’s really special and I know it means a lot to him,” Donlon said of the parade.
The World War II veteran is still active and regularly drives around Santa Margarita on his tractor.
Prior to the Santa Margarita Senior Center’s temporary closure due to COVID-19, Barba was there each week to reminisce with friends, senior center employee Linda Peterman said.
“There are quite a few (memories of Barba), but one I really admire him for is he votes every (election) year. He drives his tractor to the library to vote,” she said.
Another friend and veteran, Howard Lowe said he has known Barba for around 95 years. Lowe, who is 101, was born in San Luis Obispo and moved to Santa Margarita “as soon as possible.”
“We both spent all our lives here and that’s why we’re still living,” Lowe said. “My mother always said (Santa) Margarita is the healthiest place.”
He said he remembers coming to Santa Margarita at 5 or 6 years old to visit his grandmother, who lived a few blocks from Barba’s family. The two would play “kick the can and marbles.”
He said now when the two hang out, it’s a bit different but they still have fun.
“Now, most of the time, we sit and talk about old times and most of the time we forget half the names,” Lowe said laughing. “When we do remember, we remember enjoying what we did.”
Ingrid McRoberts helped organize the parade, along with Barba’s caretaker and the senior center. She said she felt moved to celebrate Barba because of what he means to the town.
“When I moved here 10 years ago, everybody asked if I met Henry, who was going to be 97. As time went along I couldn’t figure out who Henry was, this 100-year-old man, because he looked so young,” McRoberts said. “It’s really inspirational to see how long (Barba and Lowe) have lived here. Living in Margarita is such a great place because of people like Henry.”
Barba’s birthday parade ended with him handing out individually packaged doughnuts to his friends, family and neighbors who stayed after to celebrate in his front yard.
