Family celebrates veteran’s 100th birthday with social distancing surprises

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — John Marder’s family had traditional plans to celebrate his 100th birthday with a big party.

The coronavirus pandemic prompted all six of his children, who live in the Gwinnett County area, to get creative, which led to much more than just a birthday celebration.

Mary Marder says her husband, Jack Marder, works in IT. He planned for his family to get onto a Zoom call together on Sunday to wish his father a very happy 100th birthday.

“We felt very happy that we had something like this in order to see them,” Mary Marder said.

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Early Sunday morning, his children safely visited the decorated veteran at Garden Plaza Senior Living Community in Lawrenceville. With smiles on their faces and balloons in hand, they wished him a happy birthday from afar.

Hours later, Jack Marder remotely connected his father’s computer to Zoom for what would be a wonderful surprise. Twenty-five boxes filled his screen, with family members as far as Australia calling in to celebrate him.

“There was a nephew on there he hasn’t seen in like 20 years,” Mary Marder said.

Each family member unmuted themselves, one by one, to say their name and a message for Marder.

Mary Marder said there were cousins on the call who had not seen each other in years, and babies were introduced to family members for the very first time.

“It was about so much more than just the birthday,” Mary Marder said.

John Marder and his wife Irene, 96, have been married for 78 years.

As for the secret to living to see age 100?

“He swears what’s given him his long life is a daily hit of Crown Royal,” Mary Marder said.

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