Dr. Paul Grossnickle celebrates his 75th birthday Tuesday.

Nothing out of the ordinary about a birthday, but 1999 marks two other anniversaries for Grossnickle. In September, he will celebrate 55 years of marriage to his wife, Jane, and 50 years in practice as an optometrist.

What's the secret to his longevity?

"I think Jane and I have been very fortunate. We're compatible. We have spats, but everyone does," Paul said. "As far as work is concerned, I got into a field I thoroughly enjoy."

Jane said, "I don't think there's any secret. I have no magic words or secret."

The youngest of seven children, Paul was born June 22, 1924, in North Manchester. He has five older brothers and graduated from North Manchester High School in 1942. A year later, he enlisted in the Naval Air Corps at age 18.

"My dad told me and my older two brothers we'd have to go to war and we did," he said.

He received his Naval wings in 1943 in Corpus Christi, Texas. During World War II, he flew F-6F Hellcats in the Pacific.

Paul said, "In the 1940s, to have a plane that goes over 400 miles per hour and has 2,200 horsepower at age 19 was exciting."

Paul and Jane married Sept. 3, 1944. He left the Navy the following year.

"She lived down the alley. We've known each other since grade school. We started dating in high school," Paul said, recounting how he and Jane met.

Finding a job after World War II wasn't easy. Millions of discharged soldiers sought education and vocations. After talking to his older brother, Paul decided optometry school would be his chosen field, graduating from optometry school in 1949.

Paul's son, Steve, was born in 1947. Bruce was born in 1953.

In 1950, Paul began active duty as an optometrist in the Navy for the next five years in San Diego, Calif., and Seattle, Wash. He submitted his resignation in 1956 but it was a year before he was finally released because the Navy couldn't find anyone willing to take his place.

"When I came back here, I worked in several different offices. Several of us got together and built this office (at Dubois Drive)," Paul said.

Those who helped build the office include Dr. George Haymond, Dr. Tom Van Osdol, Dr. David Haines, Dr. William Parke, Dr. Arthur Moser and Dr. Douglas Sawyer.

Grossnickle Eye Care Center now occupies most of the building. Steve and Bruce, both ophthalmologists, are two of the owners and operators of the eye care center. In total, Grossnickle Eye Care Center has four ophthalmologists, four optometrists and a staff of almost 90. Paul said he remembers teaching the first employee to do office work.

Asked why he hasn't retired yet, Paul says, "I really have no future plans to retire, maybe in a couple years or so. My boys don't want me to retire."

He works three days a week. He said his sons told him he could work only two days if he gets tired.

Golfing and traveling could be alternatives to working for Paul, but he does that already without retiring. One week out of every summer, he and Jane visit a part of the United States.

"We've been in every state in the U.S. We think people miss it when they go across the pond (to Europe). There's so much to see in the United States," he said.

Paul is a member of the Indiana Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association and the North Central Optometric Association.

"It's all give and take. There can't be one side to it. You've got to be kind to the public. I think being healthy all these years is one secret to (longevity). If you're healthy, you feel good," he said, reflecting back on his long career.

The Grossnickle name may be around the community for many years to come. Paul has six "wonderful" grandchildren and at least one is going into pre-med at DePauw University.

"They're smart kids and they should do all right," Paul said. [[In-content Ad]]