FARMINGTON—At 102, Warren Fong lived through the Depression and World War II. He has seen major advancements such as the invention of the television, the internet, space exploration and now AI. Fong is an Asian-American veteran and was an avid bowler into his 90s. His family and the staff at Legacy House of Park Lane came together Wednesday for a birthday celebration in his honor.

“I was born in San Francisco," Fong said. “I moved to Fresno and graduated from Fresno High.”

In 1943 Fong went into the Navy and served in the Philippines for two and a half years during World War II. “I was discharged in 1946,” he said. “When I got home I became an aircraft mechanic for a while. Later I got a job at United Airlines. That’s where my life began.”

“He was born in 1923,” his son Ron said. “They weren’t really the roaring 20s for him. His parents divorced when he was six. The split was hard on him. He and his brother went into a boys home in Berkeley from the age of 6 to 12.”

In spite of the hardships he had a good attitude, said Ron. “He’d say ‘you get what you get so be happy.’”

He worked hard, Ron said. “He was always there for us in the good times and the bad. One time my kids went onto the golf course behind our house and the course keeper came out. The kids said that was the most scared they’d ever been in their whole life. Dad said ‘if you were that scared you shouldn’t be doing it.’ He had a lot of wisdom.”

His wife had early dementia, said Warren’s daughter-in-law Christy Fong. “He took care of her for six years. It was very difficult.”

When it came time to put her in a care facility it was the hardest thing, she said. “He would visit her twice a day. He was loyal and compassionate.”

Warren met her at the bowling alley, Christy said. “She was cheering. They became the best ballroom dancers.”

Christy said when Warren came to Legacy House he didn’t think he’d like it because he felt like he wasn’t very social. “But he is very social. He’s become part of the community and he’s legendary because he’s over 100 years old.”

It was funny because when a new resident came he said, “An elderly woman moved in,” said Christy. “I thought, ‘Dad you’re elderly.’”

“When I was 10 he told me the secret to a better life is to just be nice,” said Ron. “I think that’s the key to his longevity and it works for him.”