KENOSHA, Wis. — World War II veteran Max North was honored Friday as family members, fellow veterans, and local officials gathered at the American Heroes Café at Festival Foods to celebrate his 100th birthday, recognizing a century of service, hard work, and devotion to his community.
“You don’t turn 100 every day,” North said, summing up the milestone as he celebrated one day before his June 27 birthday.
The weekly veterans gathering became a birthday celebration as Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman and Kenosha Mayor David Bogdala presented North with county and city proclamations honoring his life. State Sen. Bob Wirch and State Rep. Tip McGuire also presented him with an American flag that had been flown over the Wisconsin State Capitol.
“This is truly a remarkable honor — to get to that triple digits we all strive for, and to do it with such compassion, grace, and service to the community,” Kerkman said. “That’s what makes it so special for all of us to be here today.”
Born in LaGrange County, Indiana, on June 27, 1926, North enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 18, 1945. He departed for Japan by ship on Oct. 7, 1945, shortly after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where his mission included disarming artillery cannons. He received an honorable discharge in Yamagata, Japan, on Jan. 10, 1946, earning the American, Asiatic-Pacific, and World War II service medals.
Following his military service, North earned a degree in agricultural engineering from Purdue University before beginning a career with Massey Ferguson. He later spent decades with J.I. Case in Racine, rising into upper management and overseeing overseas production, including meetings with government leaders in China and the Soviet Union regarding agricultural modernization.
After retiring and spending several years in Arizona, North returned to Kenosha to be closer to family. He and his late wife, Nancy, were married for 47 years and raised two daughters. Their family has grown to include four grandsons and seven great-grandchildren.
One of those grandsons, Adam Graf, joined North for Friday’s celebration. The pair previously traveled together on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.
“It’s awesome,” Graf said. “I got to go on an Honor Flight with him and share that experience, so to see all the people here celebrate his service and his life, it’s humbling.”
Bogdala noted that North’s birthday comes as the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary next week.
“As we get ready to celebrate the 250th birthday of the greatest country in the world, we do that because of people like Max and every single person in this room,” Bogdala said. “You are the heroes that make us who we are as a nation.”
