Canonsburg resident celebrates 100th birthday
Canonsburg resident Michael Soroka celebrated a major milestone on Oct. 22: his 100th birthday.
Soroka, who has lived on the same road in the borough for 90 of his 100 years, celebrated the occasion with his daughters, Karen Soroka and Joyce Stoll, and 15 other family members and friends at an area seafood restaurant – an appropriate choice for the centenarian, an avid fisherman who hung up his fishing rod only two years ago.
“The comment everyone makes when they see dad is, ‘There’s no way he’s 100,” said his daughter, Karen Soroka. “He has bad knees – his knees are shot – but every other sense and sensibility he has is fully operational.”
The key to living to 100, Soroka will tell you, is to stay active physically and mentally, and to eat a healthy diet.
And to marry the right partner. Soroka and his wife, Carolina, were married for 70 years. She passed away in 2107 at age 90.
Soroka served in the U.S. Navy during World War II – he often tells the story of serving aboard a Navy destroyer and encountering a Japanese submarine when the crew received word the war had ended.
“He said they were hoping the submarine got the news too, and apparently they did,” said Karen Soroka.
After he returned to Canonsburg, Soroka worked at McGraw Edison, until he retired in 1985 as a general manager.
His family worried that Soroka would get bored, but their fears proved to be unwarranted. Soroka pursued his passions, gardening and fishing.
Each summer Soroka grew a bountiful vegetable garden, providing zucchinis, Brussels sprouts, beans, tomatoes, and more for his family and friends.
And he spent endless hours on boats, fishing in the waters of Cross Creek, Lake Erie, and Fort Pierce, Fla., for bluegill, walleye, perch, snook, red snapper, and other fish.
While his sea legs aren’t as steady as they used to be, Soroka plans to enjoy life and remain as independent as he can.
“He really is all about being active,” said Karen Soroka. “He would just chuckle and tell you to keep your body and mind sharp.”