By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Every birthday should be celebrated, but it is not every day that someone turns 100 years old.
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Raymond Stocks has accomplished many things in his long life, and now he can add living for a century to his long list.
While Stocks was anticipating a gathering of friends, family and neighbors for his April 17 birthday, he did not know that members of the Beaufort Police Department were coming by his home with a large electric sign to wish him a happy birthday.
Interim Police Chief Stephanie Price said that she was intrigued when she heard about Stocks turning 100.
She said she had never been to a birthday party for a 100-year-old and was excited to stop by and wish the long time Beaufortonian a very happy birthday.
More than 100 people came out during the block party on Wednesday, April 17, which was recently officially designated as Lt. Col. Raymond Stocks Day in the city of Beaufort.
Price said that they do not usually get out to wish community members a happy birthday, but she wanted to make sure that they did not miss Stocks birthday and wanted to give everyone on the Beaufort Police force the opportunity to wish him well.
Stocks has lived in Beaufort since 1973, when he moved here from Albany, Ga. Jerry, his wife, was born here.
He has worked in insurance, real estate and more recently construction.
He and his wife also founded the Northwest Neighborhood Association and are still active members.
Stocks was born in 1924 in Leaksville, N.C., and he served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force. He served during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam before he retired from the military.
In 2023, Stocks was named as the grand marshal of the Veterans Day Parade and he was featured as The Island News’ Veteran of the Week in 2021.
“I drink two sips of sweet red wine every morning,” Stocks said about his secret to a long life. “I’m not so sure it’s good for me, but it hasn’t hurt me either.”
When asked about what he has planned for the upcoming year, Stocks said that he hopes to travel with his wife. He met her after his military career had ended, so they hope to travel overseas so that she can see the places that he experienced many years ago as a young aviator.
Stocks worked consistently in his construction business until COVID 19 hit, when he stepped back and stopped working.
Now he said he is content to sit on his porch, smoke his cigar and people watch.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
