Former Warren resident, World War II vet becomes centenarian

WARREN/CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Approximately 60 of Richard Aurand’s closest family members and friends — along with a few staff members from his doctor’s office — will soon gather at a local banquet hall for a very special occasion: his 100th birthday.

On Oct. 19, Aurand will turn 100, something he never expected.

“I never thought about it,” said Aurand, who is known for always looking on the bright side of things. “Part of it is keeping a good attitude. I eat properly. Make sure everything is good instead of bad.”

Aurand resided in Warren for 65 years until moving to Clinton Township a few years ago to live with his daughter, Michelle Cayer. The two keep each other company, especially since Cayer’s husband died in 2022 and Aurand’s wife, Velma Aurand, died in 2008. Aurand has another daughter, Denise Cavanagh; her husband is Michael. The family also includes grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Aurand’s positive attitude certainly rubbed off on his loved ones over the years.

“I was brought up with the Napoleon Hill power of positive thinking all my life,” Cayer said. “Every day is the greatest day. Everything that happens happens to your advantage.”

Aurand was born in 1924 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. He attended State College High School. Along with his schoolwork, he had another important responsibility during his childhood: helping the family financially. He did that by getting a paper route, and he also had a job wrapping bread at a local family bakery, which forced him to get up at 4 a.m. every day. An active student, he played football and joined the track team. Aurand also had a musical side, playing drums in the school’s drum and bugle corps.

“We went all over, different towns and football games. We paraded onto the field,” Aurand remembered. “That was sweet. We were good too.”

He graduated from high school in 1942. A year later, Aurand answered the call of duty when he joined the U.S. Army as World War II raged overseas. After completing basic training, the military man was picked to be a medic and underwent first aid training.

“He worked in the operating rooms in France, England and Belgium,” Cayer said. “He worked in a field hospital. He said it was crazy.”

“We were busy. When they brought in soldiers with injuries, we worked on them until we got done,” Aurand recalled. “This was war. This was people getting killed and shot.”

 

‘That was the best thing in my life’
After the war, Aurand relocated to Detroit. It didn’t take long for a young woman named Velma to catch his eye. Cayer loves to tell the story of how her parents met.

“My dad went to a Chinese restaurant with another girl that knew my mom,” Cayer said. “My mom was pouring sugar in her tea, and he walked over and said, ‘Why don’t you have a little tea with your sugar?’ She gave him a dirty look.”

Their paths crossed again.

“He was in a streetcar and saw her,” Cayer said. “He jumped off the streetcar and started talking to her.”

The couple fell in love and married Nov. 17, 1951, in Detroit.

“That was the best thing in my life. No complaints,” the soon-to-be-centenarian said. “She was a sweetheart. She did everything. With the girls, she was fantastic.”

The young man got a job working as a timekeeper at the Dodge Main assembly plant, located on the Hamtramck/Detroit border.

“He said it was the most boring job,” Cayer said. “He’d get finished with his job and not have anything to do, so they told him to slow down his work.”

Aurand eventually left Dodge Main to sell insurance for a while and then found his calling in real estate. After earning his real estate license, he worked hard selling houses to support the family, first with Lee Real Estate, and then opened his own company. Velma, too, got her broker’s license.

“I was a good real estate man. I went to a lot of houses helping people,” Aurand said. “I liked everything about real estate. I liked people and I liked to sell houses.”

For many years, the family lived on James Street in Warren. The house sat on one acre of property, and there were plenty of family pets, including a dog, many cats, two ducks and rabbits.

“That was a nice home,” Aurand said. “We had a lot of fun.”

Both Cayer and Cavanagh attended Mott High School in Warren. Velma Aurand was a Girl Scouts of America leader, and the family kept things simple. Watching TV shows — with the girls nestled on the floor, mom on the couch and dad in his favorite chair — was sometimes all they needed. Neighbors often dropped by, too, and vacations to visit relatives in Tennessee and Pennsylvania also grew family bonds.

“He has always supported me,” Cayer said. “He’s just very loving and believes in laughter and good things. He always thinks good of people.”

Currently, the World War II veteran stays active with Cayer’s pets, a dog and two cats, and never misses a Warren Kiwanis Club meeting. He also has a catch phrase that has earned him the nickname “Mr. Tennessee.” When he meets someone for the first time, he’ll say “You’re the only 10 I see.”

Aurand is looking forward to his celebration.

“I like parties,” the birthday boy said. “I feel good.”