The secret to longevity is surrounding yourself with good people said centenarian William “Bill” Proffitt

“The three people that contributed to that are my mother, my father and my wife,” Proffitt said. “Because they were what they were.”

Proffitt, of Zelienople, turned 100 on Monday. To celebrate, the staff at the VA Butler Healthcare Outpatient Clinic in Cranberry threw a party for Proffitt Friday at the clinic.

Along with cake and ice cream, Proffitt was received two challenge coins: one from his health care provider Lauren Stancik and one from Brig. Gen. Roy Uptegraff. Rex Brown, post quartermaster of Cranberry VFD, David Cord, VA Butler Healthcare director and Dr. Rhonda Mough, VA Butler Healthcare chief of staff, were also in attendance.

Challenge coins are given out in the military to somebody that does something above and beyond the call of duty, said Dwight Boddorf, outreach coordinator with VA Butler Healthcare. They’re also given out to mark momentous occasions.

Proffitt was born March 27, 1917 in Beaver in Beaver County to Howard and Myrtle Proffitt. He graduated from Beaver High School in 1935 and went to work at J & L Steel in Aliquippa in 1936.

He worked there as a maintenance welder until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1941, six months before World War II broke out.

In the army, Proffitt was a welder too, he said, spending two years stateside before going over the England. He was attached to the 8th Air Force and spent two-and-a-half years in Northampton, welding vehicles that needed repairs and fabricating parts for aircrafts.

“The early parts the Germans were still coming over with bombs, but other than that it was like working in the mill,” Proffitt said of his time overseas.

He was discharged in December 1945. When he returned home to Beaver, Proffitt said he went straight back to work at J & L Steel, where he was a welder for 45 years before retiring. Proffitt said he didn’t have too many hobbies, but he did work “a lot of overtime.”

He and wife Charlotte were married in 1951. They were married until 2004, when she passed away.

Proffitt’s nephew and nephew’s wife, Gary and Kathy Miller, of Brighton Township, were there Friday to celebrate the occasion with him. Gary Miller said he’s close to his uncle and helps him run errands and keep his affairs in order.

He remembers his uncle working a lot growing up, Gary Miller said, but he was always very generous.

“I remember one Christmas as a kid, everyone in the family got $1,000,” Gary Miller said. “That was when people were making $5 an hour so that was huge.”

Proffitt was also a devoted and caring husband, Gary Miller said. When his wife Charlotte became ill with Alzheimer’s, Proffitt took care of her.

Proffitt moved in 2000 to Passavant Community in Zelienople, where he lived in an independent living cottage for 15 years. He moved to one of their assisted living apartments in the last year.

Proffitt was surprised by the party thrown for him at the clinic, but visibly moved by the gesture. Gary Miller said they were also going to celebrate again in Zelienople over the weekend.

“It’s wonderful,” Proffitt said. “I never thought so many people would be so nice to me.”