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Because the solar rises over Sarasota, one exceptional resident is making ready to have a good time a milestone few ever attain. Alvin “Al” Seidman, a World Conflict II Coast Guard veteran, will flip 100 years outdated on August 16, 2025. His life, formed by the Nice Despair, wartime service in each the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, and a postwar profession as an electrician, presents a compelling portrait of resilience, dedication, and quiet generosity. His story is a testomony to the enduring spirit of the Biggest Era and the energy of neighborhood in later years. For these concerned with tales of WWII veterans, Coast Guard service, or longevity, Seidman’s story is each inspiring and deeply human.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Seidman joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1944, motivated by a pal’s remark that boot camp was conveniently positioned in Manhattan Seaside. On the induction middle, a easy dialog with an officer and a change in paperwork set him on a path that will take him throughout oceans and into historical past. He served aboard the USCG Cutter Roger B. Taney, a ship that noticed motion in each the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. In keeping with the Coast Guard’s official historical past, the Taney escorted convoys to Bizerte, Tunisia, and later participated in operations close to Okinawa, enduring relentless air raids and kamikaze assaults.
Seidman’s position as a bosun had him steering the ship from each the bridge and a decrease station referred to as after steering. He recalled the depth of life at sea throughout wartime, the place coaching took over in moments of disaster. “You don’t suppose; you simply do,” he mentioned. “Everyone does their job and by chance for us, we by no means obtained a scratch.” The Taney was at basic quarters 119 instances through the Okinawa marketing campaign, and its gunners downed 4 kamikaze planes. The ship later took half within the occupation of Japan, anchoring off Wakayama earlier than returning to the US in late 1945.
After the warfare, Seidman declined school regardless of encouragement from his father, a member of the Worldwide Brotherhood of Electrical Staff. As an alternative, he grew to become an apprentice and launched a 40-year profession as an electrician. He married Shirley, the love of his life, in 1947, and collectively they raised three youngsters in Backyard Metropolis South, Lengthy Island. Seidman retired in 1987, and the couple finally relocated to Longboat Key, Florida. Shirley handed away in 2017, after 70 years of marriage.
Now a resident of Arietta, a 55-and-older neighborhood in Sarasota, Seidman has embraced a brand new identification: “The Muffin Man.” At practically 100 years outdated, he bakes two dozen chocolate chip muffins twice per week, having fun with one day by day and sharing the remaining with neighbors and even the mailman. He credit his daughter Susan for the recipe that sparked this late-life passion. “I attempted it; the muffin was scrumptious,” he mentioned. “I began giving them to individuals they usually all liked them.”
Along with baking, Seidman maintains a rigorous health routine. For over 50 years, he has labored out usually and now visits the Arietta fitness center 3 times per week—at 3 a.m., when he has the area to himself. Although age has restricted his skill to carry heavy weights because of a worn-out shoulder joint, his dedication to bodily well being stays unwavering. He nonetheless drives regionally, though he depends on Susan for longer journeys, reminiscent of visiting his sister Edith in Naples.
Seidman’s centennial celebration will probably be as distinctive as his life. On August 16, he will probably be honored aboard the usConstellation, a 171-year-old museum ship moored in Baltimore’s Interior Harbor. The ship just isn’t removed from the USCG Cutter 37, previously the Taney, the place Seidman served through the warfare. About 60 visitors, together with his youngsters and prolonged household, are anticipated to attend. The occasion will embody a ceremonial cannon blast when he blows out his birthday candles—a becoming tribute for a person who as soon as stood at battle stations underneath enemy hearth.
A second celebration is deliberate for August 28 at Arietta, that includes cake and a efficiency of Frank Sinatra songs. Sinatra holds a particular place in Seidman’s reminiscence; he noticed the legendary singer carry out twice on the Paramount Theater as an adolescent. These celebrations replicate not solely Seidman’s longevity but in addition the deep connections he maintains with household, neighbors, and historical past.
Rising up through the Nice Despair left its mark on Seidman. He vividly remembers the painful second when his father needed to give away the household canine, Babe, as a result of they couldn’t afford to feed each the canine and their rising household. “I used to be 5 years outdated, I barely knew her – the canine I liked,” he mentioned. That early lesson in sacrifice would echo all through his life, from wartime service to a long time of exhausting work and household devotion.
When requested concerning the secret to his lengthy life, Seidman provided a considerate reflection. “I had a beautiful 70 years,” he mentioned, crediting Shirley’s wholesome cooking and their enduring love. Whereas he as soon as regretted not turning into a drummer or going to varsity, he shortly added, “However I had a beautiful life.” I discovered this element placing—it speaks to a contentment that many search however few discover.
Al Seidman’s story is one in every of quiet heroism, lifelong dedication, and a beneficiant spirit that continues to counterpoint his neighborhood. From steering a ship by way of wartime seas to baking muffins for neighbors, his legacy is constructed not simply on what he endured, however on what he gave again. As he approaches his one centesimal birthday, Seidman stays a residing hyperlink to a pivotal period in historical past—and a reminder that goal and kindness can span a century.
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