Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Arbree
Joseph Arbree, to quote the adage, was slightly ahead of his time. A patriotic American, Joe graduated from bombardier school on September 11th, but many decades before that date was forever etched into the nation’s memory. It was 1943, shortly after the US entered War II. Then Lt. Arbree, of Tenafly, New Jersey was training to become one the nations newest bombardiers during an extremely dark period in US history. And he had just landed a very dangerous job.
The editors of Joe’s class yearbook at Victorville Army Airfield in California wrote about the “grim game of existence” they were playing”. But Joe seemed take it all in stride. The yearbook noted that “bombing didn’t satisfy Mr. Arbree — so he up and got married right in the middle of it”.
He was so good at his training that he ended up being named as an instructor.
Joe went on to be a very successful businessman, married for 63 years, 2 children, and 5 grandchildren, and enjoying life to the fullest. He enjoyed game fishing which took him all over the world.
At the age of 49 he decided it was time to get in shape, running 35 miles a week until the age of 85.
To this day he still works out and enjoys a glass of wine every night!
