A balanced diet, daily walk and good Irish whiskey are what Bill Bowman attributes to his living to 100.
The centenarian celebrated his birthday Saturday at a party with his wife, Norma, family and friends in his La Crescenta home.
Long retired, Bill Bowman spends his time maintaining his home, weeding, caring for his roses and arguing with the gardener, he quipped.
He still drives, and he and Norma visit their son in Lompoc, he said.
“I have driven most of the time, but we also take the Amtrak,” he said. “It’s a good ride, and I’m a train fan. I usually like to ride the train as often as I can.”
They make sure to eat a balanced diet, with lots of vegetables and not a lot of meat, and are committed to daily walks.
“We joined a walking group about 20 years ago,” Bill Bowman said.
“We can’t walk with the group anymore because we are too slow. But every day we walk down the block to the corner, and it’s a pretty long walk.”
The couple greet their neighbors along the way, like Allen and Sue Mercer, who have lived there for 44 years.
“What can you say about a guy who is 100 years old and doesn’t have a thing wrong with him?” Allen Mercer asked. “He’s very friendly — just a nice guy to be around. They walk almost every day for exercise. They stop and we chit-chat.”
Martha Pyke has lived around the corner from them for 50 years, but only became acquainted 10 years ago, she said. Before Pyke’s husband died, the foursome would go out to dinner. Their favorites were Dish, Divina Cucina and Taylor’s Steakhouse, she said.
The Bowmans have been extremely helpful, said Pyke, 90. Bill Bowman drives her to doctor appointments, and his wife calls every night by 7, she said.
“Wehave a system going,” Pyke said. “It’s a comfort.”
Born in Los Angeles, Bill Bowman and his family moved to La Crescenta in 1921 when he was about 11.
“It was pretty wild and bushy then,” he said.
His family built two homes on Glenada Street, but the homes were razed when the freeway was built. He attended La Crescenta grade school, Wilson Junior High School and graduated in June 1929 from Glendale High School.
“In high school, I wasn’t a sports fan,” he said. “I was fortunate to get an evening job at a gas station for Standard Oil at the corner San Fernando Road and Colorado. I was 17 or 18.”
