28 MAY 2017 Arc A d A News & SPORTS COLLECTOR CAR CENTER Servicing Your Car Is Not Our Job, It’s Our Passion • F actory Trained Technicians Using St ate of the Art Equipment • F amil y Owned & Serving The East V alley Since 1973 • Shuttle Service, Pick Up & Delivery A v ailable at no extra cost 480.968.5000 | www.sccarcenter.com • Jaguar & Range Rover Experts • Honor Most Extended W arranties • All Service Guaranteed/ Parts & Labor * All required factory maintenance Services S E R V I C E KACHINA Quality Dry Cleaning 602-955-5540 3926 E. Indian School Road Arcadia Family Owned & Operated Since 1959 Home & Office Pickup & Delivery Available By Elaina Verhoff On April 19, longtime Arcadian John Marusiak celebrated his 100th birthday. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Marusiak at his beautiful home on the golf course of the Arizona Country Club. When I arrived, he was just finishing a sandwich at his dining room table, which was scattered with photos from his military days and a country club newsletter featuring a 100th birthday greeting on the cover. He greeted me with a warm smile and a strong and firm handshake – definitely not the handshake I expected from a 100-year old. We spent the next hour talking about Marusiak’s long and full life, from working in the Ford factories of Detroit, to serving in World War II, to founding a thriving business that is still in operation today. It is very clear Marusiak’s military career is a source of pride for the veteran. Like so many young men of his era, the bombing of Pearl Harbor spurred the 24-year-old to join the military, where he served as a pilot in World War II. “He completed a total of 105 missions, including providing ground cover for the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944,” said his daughter Carol Ann Marusiak. “Many American bombers came home after 25 missions, but he didn’t want to leave.” Three weeks after returning to the United States, Marusiak married his sweetheart in a whirlwind engagement. The two soon started a family, which would grow to include five children, 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. After retiring from the Air Force, Marusiak and his young family moved to Arcadia in 1965. He soon founded a company, Micro- Tronics Incorporated, and brought the first electrical discharge machine, which cuts heavy metal, to the Valley. Through the years, Micro-Tronics has been a true family affair. “All my kids worked in the business,” Marusiak said with pride. While Marusiak’s wife and one of his children have passed away, he has family living less than 30 minutes away. His daughters, Carol Ann, Janet Travis, Edi Remaklus, and daughter-in-law Lucia Marusiak, all remain involved in his life. “I host a bridge group here on Sunday afternoons for my dad and his two younger lady friends, who are in their 90s!” Carol Ann said. “The social interaction is so good for him.” Marusiak has kept up lifelong habits in his old age, like his love of reading books about history. He also has a glass of beer every day at lunch, like he’s done for decades. “As he’s gotten older, the amount in the glass has gotten smaller,” said Travis. “He’s disciplined. He loves his beer, but always just one.” Family members have multiple celebrations planned to honor their dad’s 100th year, including a big Easter gathering, a party with the bridge club and a get-together of golfers at the Arizona Country Club. “Dad always told us that attitude is everything. He never lets the little things bother him,” Remaklus said. “He still reads voraciously, mostly nonfiction including history, finance and investing, and he tracks stocks regularly on his smartphone. He is always mechanically minded, always a student.” Marusiak’s daughters attribute their dad’s longevity to a healthy lifestyle. “He has only had one hospital visit his whole life,” Remaklus said. “And I got out the next day!” Marusiak added quickly. Marusiak’s other tips for living a long and full life include, “Don’t hurt anybody and don’t get too crazy.” And perhaps a beer a day with lunch is a good idea, too. Arcadia resident celebrates a century of life Top Left: John Marusiak and his newest great-grandson, Ellis Chase Hamic, born April 3, 2017, almost exactly 100 years after his great-grandfather. The other photos are of Marusiak from throughout his life. “Don’t hurt anybody and don’t get too crazy.” — John Marusiak’s tips for living a long life.

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