Joe Slobojan celebrated his 100th birthday in Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s Beargrass Room on Dec. 15 surrounded by dozens of well-wishers, family members and friends.

Montana’s newest centenarian received certificates from the president, governor and several United States Coast Guard commanders.

Born in Wilton, N.D. on Dec. 16, 1913, Slobojan and his wife Leona never had children. They moved from North Dakota to the Flathead in 1955, where Joe went to work at the Anaconda Aluminum Co. smelter plant in Columbia Falls during its first years.

After he left the plant, Slobojan opened a small tree farm with his wife, and the two became fixtures in the community. Several organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, showed up at the hospital to honor Slobojan’s birthday.

“Uncle Joe,” as he is known to all of his family members, is polite and has a good sense of humor. Some of his passions were hunting, fishing and packing into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

When asked about his long life, he replied, “There is no secret. You just live day to day.”