Mutual 2 resident honored by Golden Age Foundation
LW CENTENARIANS
The Golden Age Foundation (GAF) will host the fourth LW Centenarian Celebration on Tuesday, April 23. Its goal is to include every resident who will be turning 99.5 years or older this year. To register a centenarian, call or text one of the numbers below and provide their name, mutual and unit number, and contact information. The GAF will also feature some of the centenarians’ stories in the LW Weekly.
by Joanna Matos
LW contributor
Mark Glickman from Mutual 2 is living proof that he is part of the Greatest Generation, men and women who served and lived through World War II. His duty was in the Army detached 20th Air Force.
Although he will be 104 years old this year, Glickman doesn’t talk about birthdays. He’d rather acknowledge his experiences, because life is too short and he is too busy singing and dancing. Born in the Chicago area, Glickman came from a poor family. He laughs when telling the story of working for the city as a teenager for 19 cents an hour, putting glue on large sheets that were cut into tiny squares and became windshield stickers for automobile licenses. Another unique job he had was working at the Wall Street Journal’s print department.
Glickman learned to read music and play the piano from a friend in the Ben Bullocks band. He played at all the hotels in Santa Monica. He trained at the Veloz and Yolanda dance studio in Los Angeles. He became a Fred Astaire studio dance instructor of the Rumba, Cha-cha, Tango and the Waltz for many years.
Glickman owned a Culver City nightclub, a beer bar in Los Angeles and an appliance store in Long Beach. He came to Leisure World in 1988 and has been a Mutual 2 building captain ever since.
He has also won the Orange County Senior Music contest with his authentic singing rendition of Maurice Chevalier.
Glickman wants to get back to dancing. He drives himself to see his doctor at Long Beach VA Hospital. He always looks like a gentlemen and dresses so every day.
To honor a centenarian, contact a GAF volunteer: Carl Kennedy at 661-810-9410; Beth Greeley at 714-329-3621; Cheryl Falconer at 714-904-1984; Fara McCartney at 714-625-5141 or Anna Derby at 562-301-5339.
