‘Life is short’ says 104-year-old veteran

Post 56 celebrates Lupe Gasca

ALBERT LEA — Freeborn County’s oldest veteran celebrated his 104th birthday the morning of March 12 with a party at Albert Lea American Legion Post 56.

In addition to friends and members of the Legion, Lupe Gasca got the chance to visit with family members, including his new 5-week-old great-grandson.

“It’s a blessing,” said Roxanne Stoker, one of Gasca’s daughters. “It’s unbelievable that he’s so healthy and has his full mind.”

Gasca, a veteran, former business owner and longtime educator, moved to Albert Lea from his birthplace of Texas when he was just 2 months old, and he has lived here ever since. He is currently the oldest veteran in Freeborn County.

He voluntarily joined the Marine Corps during World War II at age 20. He was wounded in the Battle of Tarawa and became a Purple Heart recipient.

Following his military service, Gasca returned to Albert Lea and married his wife, Judy Galvan. They had two daughters, Roxanne Stoker and Jacque Gasca. He and his wife also had another daughter who died at birth.

Gasca graduated from Dunwoody College with training in the automotive industry, and he and his business partner then opened Bud & Lupe’s Auto Electric in Albert Lea.

After over a decade of owning the business, Gasca changed careers by becoming a teacher at Riverland Community College — called Albert Lea Vocational Technical Institute at the time — and taught there until his retirement.

Roxanne Stoker said her father loved owning his business, but really loved teaching and his students. He still keeps in touch with some of them, she said, and they send him Christmas cards or come to visit him when they’re in town.

Gasca still lives by himself and cleans, prepares his own meals and even occasionally shovels snow, his daughters said.

He also enjoys gardening and reading. Other than two days a week when he gets meals on wheels, Roxanne Stoker said he is always wearing his little apron and making food.

Roxanne’s husband, Robert Stoker, added Gasca is always working on things and does not like sitting still.

Jacque Gasca lives in Albert Lea and checks on her father every day.

Throughout his life, Gasca has also been an active member of the community.

“We were just raised with the very Christian value and to always just take care of each other and … your community,” Roxanne Stoker said.

The main places he has been involved with are the VFW, The American Legion and St. Theodore Catholic Church, where he was an usher for many years.

“His love and devotion to Christ is really, really cool,” Robert Stoker said. “He doesn’t push it … He just lives it, so he’s a wonderful example to me, to his kids and particularly the grandchildren.”

Gasca currently has five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

When asked what advice he would give his younger self, Gasca replied, “About the only advice I could give is to treat anybody else, whoever it is, just like you’d like to be treated yourself because it makes a lot of difference, you know. Life is happy. Life is short, and if you say something that might be offensive, you can’t take it back.”

Robert Stoker said his father-in-law’s love for his family is absolutely amazing. He cherishes life, he said, particularly at age 104.

“I just get up and thank the Lord for the day that the sun is out,” Gasca said. “Like I tell people: Life is short either way you’re looking.”