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PLAINS TWP. — Mike Kelly was honored on Monday with a cake bearing a “101” candle and the image of a camel.
The candle was to mark Monday as Kelly’s 101st birthday, of course.
And the camel? It was in honor of one of Kelly’s favorite pastimes, feeding crackers to a camel that belonged to a neighbor of his small Sugarloaf Township farm. Kelly lived independently on that farm until November.
Kelly was surrounded by family and friends for the celebration that took place at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center, where Kelly now lives.
Kelly served in the army, along with several brothers, prior to World War II and then re-enlisted during the war. He was trained in chemical weapons and eventually served in Panama.
“When he reached 100, the snow was so bad that we couldn’t make it,” said Michael Kulikaustas, Kelly’s nephew who lives in the Harrisburg area. “So this year is especially sweet.”
Michael Kulikaustas added that Kelly changed his name from Kulikosky when he worked as a barber near Jim Thorpe.
“Many of his clients were Irish,” he said. “He changed his name and increased his profit.”
The highlight of the day may have been when Kelly performed a duet of Lithuanian folk song. His partner for the song was his 95-year-old kid brother, Ed. Kulikosky.
Family members credited the VA and its services with ensuring Kelly’s quality of life.
“For the last 15 years, they were in touch with him almost daily,” said Kulikaustas. “They helped keep him healthy and made his good life possible.”