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HE CREDITS LOVELY MARRIAGE FOR LONGEVITY
Hometownlife.com
Sept 22 2011
Vincent Kaye will celebrate his 103rd birthday Saturday at Manoogian
Manor Assisted Living in Livonia, which he helped build 41 years ago.
Kaye (Keshishian) was born in Amasia, Armenia, Sept. 24, 1908.
He attributes his longevity to having a happy marriage.
"I had a lovely marriage all my life, and I attribute it all to
my wonderful wife," he said. "Marrying Rose was the best thing I
ever did."
His wife died in 2002 after 67 years of marriage.
Kaye was born to parents in war-torn Armenia. His father was a carriage
driver with two large black Arabian horses. His father left Armenia
before being conscripted into the opposing Turkish army and escaped to
New York to start a new life for him and his family. After working as
a cook, he was able to send for 4-year-old Vincent, his baby sister
and mother. Vincent Kaye remembers being greeted by his father at
the boat docks with a bag of oranges.
The family moved to Michigan and settled in Highland Park, where Kaye
graduated from Highland Park High School in 1927. Kaye attended
University of Detroit, then transferred to Lawrence Institute
of Technology (now Lawrence Technological University), which had
just opened. Kaye graduated in 1935 with a degree in electrical
engineering. He carries the proud distinction of being the oldest
living alumnus of Lawrence Tech and attended the yearly alumni reunion
just last year.
After graduating during the Depression, he started a radio repair
business to help support his family, to help pay off a student loan
and to help support his new wife, Rose. During World War II, Kaye
was an electrical engineer in charge of machine gun production for
Kelsey Hayes Wheel Co. in Detroit.
Vincent changed his name from Keshishian to Kaye to avoid questions
as to its spelling, and his career grew in Detroit. Over the years, he
worked for the federal government, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors.
He worked on the team that built the first simulated spacecraft
docking station for the U.S. space program.
Along with being an engineer, Kaye was also an inventor. Throughout
his career many patents were attributed to his work but all for
the companies he worked for. It was not until he was 92 that he
was awarded a patent in his own name - this time for a specialized
two-cycle gasoline engine.
After retirement, he was called back into the workforce by friends
to help with engineering projects and finally retired a second time
at the age of 80. He even helped his friend Alex Manoogian, founder
of Detroit's Masco Corp., with the electrical designs for Manoogian's
new project, Manoogian Manor in Livonia, a home for the aged. Little
did Kaye know that 41 years later, he would be a resident at that
same Manoogian Manor.
Kaye said he was "blessed with an engineering mind." He advises young
people today to "find a good career ... and then keep it."
Kaye has one daughter, Anne, and one grandchild, Gena, 25. He will
celebrate his birthday with family, friends and cake at Manoogian
Manor.
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110922/NEWS24/109220577
Hometownlife.com
Sept 22 2011
Vincent Kaye will celebrate his 103rd birthday Saturday at Manoogian
Manor Assisted Living in Livonia, which he helped build 41 years ago.
Kaye (Keshishian) was born in Amasia, Armenia, Sept. 24, 1908.
He attributes his longevity to having a happy marriage.
"I had a lovely marriage all my life, and I attribute it all to
my wonderful wife," he said. "Marrying Rose was the best thing I
ever did."
His wife died in 2002 after 67 years of marriage.
Kaye was born to parents in war-torn Armenia. His father was a carriage
driver with two large black Arabian horses. His father left Armenia
before being conscripted into the opposing Turkish army and escaped to
New York to start a new life for him and his family. After working as
a cook, he was able to send for 4-year-old Vincent, his baby sister
and mother. Vincent Kaye remembers being greeted by his father at
the boat docks with a bag of oranges.
The family moved to Michigan and settled in Highland Park, where Kaye
graduated from Highland Park High School in 1927. Kaye attended
University of Detroit, then transferred to Lawrence Institute
of Technology (now Lawrence Technological University), which had
just opened. Kaye graduated in 1935 with a degree in electrical
engineering. He carries the proud distinction of being the oldest
living alumnus of Lawrence Tech and attended the yearly alumni reunion
just last year.
After graduating during the Depression, he started a radio repair
business to help support his family, to help pay off a student loan
and to help support his new wife, Rose. During World War II, Kaye
was an electrical engineer in charge of machine gun production for
Kelsey Hayes Wheel Co. in Detroit.
Vincent changed his name from Keshishian to Kaye to avoid questions
as to its spelling, and his career grew in Detroit. Over the years, he
worked for the federal government, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors.
He worked on the team that built the first simulated spacecraft
docking station for the U.S. space program.
Along with being an engineer, Kaye was also an inventor. Throughout
his career many patents were attributed to his work but all for
the companies he worked for. It was not until he was 92 that he
was awarded a patent in his own name - this time for a specialized
two-cycle gasoline engine.
After retirement, he was called back into the workforce by friends
to help with engineering projects and finally retired a second time
at the age of 80. He even helped his friend Alex Manoogian, founder
of Detroit's Masco Corp., with the electrical designs for Manoogian's
new project, Manoogian Manor in Livonia, a home for the aged. Little
did Kaye know that 41 years later, he would be a resident at that
same Manoogian Manor.
Kaye said he was "blessed with an engineering mind." He advises young
people today to "find a good career ... and then keep it."
Kaye has one daughter, Anne, and one grandchild, Gena, 25. He will
celebrate his birthday with family, friends and cake at Manoogian
Manor.
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110922/NEWS24/109220577