For a quiet, hardworking son of immigrant parents, Joe Cuba has felt like a little bit of a local celebrity.

His oldest daughter, Beverly Cuba, felt like she wasn't doing enough to celebrate the centennial birthday of her father, a World War II veteran.

A simple idea from staff at Joe's senior living center – Brookdale Midwestern – has turned into far more than she could have ever imagined.

Stephanie Veitenheimer, sales manager for Brookdale Midwestern, posted a quick photo of Joe with a sign with what seemed at the time like a daunting request. She wanted 100 birthday cards for Joe's 100th birthday on March 2, 2019.

"I just made a quick sign, took a photo with him holding it, and posted it on Facebook Monday afternoon at 4," Veitenheimer said. "And it took off."

Ever since that post on her personal Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, the family and staff have been overwhelmed by the response.

"We've had people all over the U.S. call us to ask if it's a legit post, what (military branch) he served in and what he did," Veitenheimer said. "It's been just humbling to know that people want to help us celebrate his 100th."

Medical equipment companies have reached out to her to see if they could give Joe any medical equipment he might need for his birthday.

Veitenheimer said she's also had calls from Fox News, military organizations and teachers asking how they could help Joe celebrate his milestone birthday.

"Teachers have said their students are learning about the Greatest Generation and want to send cards to him. It's just awesome," she said.

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Joe was born March 2, 1919, to John and Rosie Cuba, a few months after World War I ended.

"He came over when he was 16 as an indentured servant," Beverly said of her grandfather. "He worked for two years in South Texas then came north after his time was up."

Growing up with immigrant parents from Czechoslovakia, Joe didn't learn English until later in his childhood.

"Daddy didn't speak any English at home," Beverly said. "He and his sisters – the first four children – spoke nothing but Czech. They had to learn English when they went to school."

Joe was the second of 12 children – six boys and six girls.

"Boy, there was a mob of us," he said of his siblings. "Some kind of team, I'll tell you. There was a lot of us."

One of them passed away at 4 months old, but the rest have enjoyed a long life. His oldest sister passed away at 90, but eight are still living. Joe is the oldest living sibling at nearly 100, while his youngest brother Henry is 81.

They grew up on a farm in Megargel in Archer County, Texas, helping raise livestock and grow cotton and wheat.

"We made a pretty good living. It wasn't bad. Plenty to eat, as the saying goes," Joe said of his childhood. "...People in the city had a harder time making it and having groceries. We always gave them something because we knew they were hungry and had families. It was rewarding. We didn't have everything, but we had plenty of food to get by on."

As part of his farm work, Joe said he helped feed the livestock and worked the plow in the cotton fields.

"That cotton field had to be clean, and dad wanted it clean. No weeds," he said. "So I did, hopefully."

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His parents instilled not only a work ethic in the children, but also a desire to help others, Joe said.

A child of the Great Depression, Joe still recalls his mother always helping anyone who came asking for food.

"People were hungry and I guess going from place-to-place. They'd walk two miles to our house to beg for food," Joe said. "Of course, momma would never refuse them. She'd always cook something or have something to cook. ... She always gave them some food."

Cuba family does their part to serve their country

As the U.S. got pulled into World War II, the Cuba family volunteered to do their individual part also.

"A lot of people, during the war, went to work for the war efforts," Joe said. "We decided we'd do something to help out too. We went to California and worked there. We made it okay, and hopefully helped out some."

Before going off to war with the U.S. Army Air Force, Joe married the love of his life, Nida, on Aug. 3, 1943.

Due to the government rationing most commodities, Beverly said her parents had no family or friends at their wedding in Fort Worth, and her mother, Nida, was unable to wear nylon stockings.

"I remember when they got married, she said she got a used iron to iron clothing with," Beverly recalled being told. "She said she was so happy with that iron because you couldn't get things like that very much."

During his time in the military, Joe learned how to work on aircraft in California.

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"The other work I had to do was light compared to farming," he said. "If they told me to do something, I done it without any problem. Sure it was hard work, but there wasn't any other way to do it."

Once he was done training for the day though, he'd take Nida out dancing to many of the big bands – Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and the likes.

"My wife loved to dance, so we danced – I liked it to, so I didn't mind," he laughed. "Every dance, almost, we made and enjoyed it. That was a big thing in our lives."

When it was time to head to Guam, Beverly said her mother came back to live with family in Wichita Falls while her father was sent to Seattle to begin the long voyage on an "iron ship," as she remembers her dad calling it.

"He said it was horrible because it took 33 days to get to Guam," she said. "He said he'll eat a sardine again, or powdered milk or eggs."

Joe served his country from 1943-45, battling in the Pacific Theater.

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"We had some activity, but I was fortunate and came out fine," Joe said of his service in the military. "... Of course it was no fun to be shot at, but that was war and I tried to dodge (the gunfire) as best I could and didn't get wounded too bad."

Joe wasn't the only sibling to serve his country, though. Beverly said three of her uncles also joined the military.

World War II veteran returns home to settle down, start his own family

After the war was over, Joe returned with his wife to the Wichita Falls area, opening a Texaco station and Firestone store in Seymour, Texas.

The Cubas had three children – Beverly, Lee and Elaine – each about five years apart.

Beverly said her father owned the shops for about 20 years before moving back to Wichita Falls, where he worked for Sears until he retired.

Even as they each retired, Joe and his siblings continue to try to see each other whenever possible, whether for milestone anniversaries or significant birthdays.

Joe and Nida celebrated 65 years of marriage in August of 2008 – a few months before Nida passed away that November.

A party a 100 years in the making

From several interviews to a visit by a baby kangaroo (a joey for Joe) to various military and other organizations who want to come shake hands with Joe and wish him a happy birthday, the next few weeks are going to be quite busy for the spry veteran.

"We're just trying to spread it out so it's not overwhelming now," Veitenheimer said of the response she's received at Brookdale Midwestern.

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In addition to all the cards she's begun receiving, Veitenheimer said several parties have already been planned in Joe's honor.

"This was more or less a surprise," Joe said. "I was surprised to see how many people have come, but I was glad to see them at the same time. That they've come and want to recognize me for my birthday. It is nice."

The senior living center will host a party on his actual birthday, thanks to "someone from Rants and Raves here locally," Veitenheimer said.

A senior from Windthorst has also asked to be able to come sing for him as part of the birthday festivities as well.

"I've seen the excitement in his face when someone asks if he's the Joe Cuba who's turning 100," she said of the response. "... We've learned more and more about him over the last couple of days than we did know in the last four years that we thought we knew the Joe Cuba."

The family will host a private party for him on March 3, once all of his children can get to town.

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Beverly said she's seen her father perk up quite a bit from all of the attention he's received since Veitenheimer's post on Monday.

"It's just been the most humbling, thankful, gratifying experience of my life to see him happy. He's just reveling in this," she said. "It's like almost like there's a happy person inside going, 'Yippee! Yippee!'

"Every time he opens a card, it's going to be special and the gift that keeps on giving. We never even dreamed of this response – to know people love him this much. It's been like a good shot in the arm, and I think it's going to contribute to his longevity."

While he'll likely far surpass the 100 birthday cards he wished for, he only had one other gift he wanted to go into his next century – "continued good health."

He may need a few months of good health to get through all of the birthday cards and love being shared with him.

"Even if he died tomorrow, it's been just the most beautiful gift that you could have ever given him or us, as a family," Beverly said.

For those wishing to send well wishes and birthday cards to Joe Cuba, they can be addressed to him and mailed to Brookdale Midwestern at 918 Midwestern Parkway, Wichita Falls, Texas, 76302.