Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Emery Stoops celebrated his 102nd birthday on December 13 with a birthday dinner organized by his son Emerson at Gladstone’s 4 Fish Restaurant. ‘I’ve been well,’ Stoops told the Palisadian-Post when summing up the past year. ‘I attribute growing this old and feeling fine to the fact that my father taught me to do things in moderation. He said when it comes to exercise, don’t overdo and hurt yourself and don’t just lie around. With food’don’t overeat, but eat enough so you’re supporting your body. ‘He never heard of Aristotle or any of the Greeks who said ‘Extreme is the vice, go to the center.’ He just figured it out in his wisdom.’ Emery was born in 1902 on a Kansas farm to parents who were homesteaders. An early birthday surprise this year came when Emery and his wife, Joyce, attended the president’s dinner at USC, a school where they both received their Ed.D. and were longtime faculty members in the school of education. ‘President Steven Sample had the members of the board stand up, had the deans stand up, and mentioned about seven or eight groups, then he said, ‘There is one person who is the oldest alumnus from USC. Emery Stoops is coming up to 102, so bring out the cake.” A large cake was presented with three candles on it which Emery blew out. Emery continues to do the exercises he learned as a senior at the University of Colorado. ‘They keep my tummy flat and my arms and legs strong,’ he said. His other exercise is working in the garden. ‘We have a dozen different types of trees’nectarine, avocado, persimmon, peach, plum, walnut. Our backyard is quite an attraction, particularly to my little great-grandchildren.’ Stoops has three children, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom are ‘healthy and well,’ he said. After reaching mandatory retirement age at USC, Stoops started a second career in the financial field and is still a representative for Transamerica Financial Resources. He’s happy he has been able to open tax-free 529 college accounts for all his great-grandchildren. ‘It’s accumulating money for them for college and when they take it out they won’t have to pay any tax.’ Emery and Joyce are still active Rotarians, after switching from the Palisades Rotary Club to the Santa Monica Club, because of the convenience of meeting at the Riviera Country Club, near their home.
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