Tom Fitzpatrick, a lifelong resident of Wyndmoor and Flourtown and distinguished World War II veteran with a doctorate degree from the University of Massachusetts in biochemistry, will be celebrating his 100th birthday on Sept. 6.

According to a close friend, Carole Lohmeier, there will be a party to celebrate his life on Sept. 8 at the Sandy Run Country Club in Oreland just for friends and family, but another celebratory event that is open to the public will be Sept. 7, noon, at Mission BBQ, 120 Village Drive, King of Prussia.

"Dr. Tom's life is a tapestry of bravery, knowledge, humor and deep faith," Lohmeier told the Local. "Celebrating the incredible life of a man who has given so much to the betterment of humanity is an absolute true honor. Everyone should be so lucky to know Dr. Tom."

Debra Malinics, a Chestnut Hill resident who co-founded the Philadelphia Saddle Club at Monastery Stables in Mt. Airy with Fitzpatrick in 1986, said he "has always been a person of great warmth and humor and always with an emphasis on helping others.

"Tom is an example of enjoying what you do and doing what you do well," she continued. "If we had more Tom Fitzpatricks in this world, what a wonderful world it would be."

Barbara Sherf, a longtime Flourtown neighbor of Fitzpatrick's who has thrown a birthday party for him in each of the past 10 years, described him as "an old school gentleman."

"Despite not having a computer, he is a walking encyclopedia on many topics including the stock market, horses and new developments in medicine," she said. "They broke the mold when they made Tom."

Fitzpatrick, who never married, told the Local in an earlier interview that his father, a World War I veteran, opened a little grocery store when he first got out of the military, where he served during World War I, and delivered goods with a double-team of horses.

"He married shortly after he was discharged. My sister was born in 1922, and I was born in '24," he said. "Things were pretty rural (in Wyndmoor). The country was really just growing up back then. Horses were still a big mode of transportation for milk delivery, bread delivery and even wholesale delivery."

Fitzpatrick went to Seven Dolors Catholic grade school in Wyndmoor, which closed in 2003, and graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in 1942. Growing up in Wyndmoor, he worked in the Wyndmoor-based USDA lab during high school, and by law he was given his old job back after the war.

In 1943, at age 18, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and upon completion of training, was assigned to a B-17 bomber crew as a radio operator/navigator. After crossing the Atlantic, Fitzpatrick arrived at Amendola Airfield in Foggia, Italy, in December 1943, and joined the 2nd Bomb Group/96th Bombardment Squadron.

As a navigator, Fitzpatrick participated in the European campaign and completed 30 dangerous bombing missions over Nazi-occupied Europe. Tom's wartime service was marked by harrowing missions, earning him several military distinctions, including the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, European Campaign Medal with two campaign stars and the Victory Medal.

Fitzpatrick said he attributes his longevity to the protection and guardianship of his favorite friar, Saint Padre Pio (canonized in 1968), whom he personally encountered during weekly services while stationed in Foggia. "We'd go up there to hear Mass," said Fitzpatrick. "I got to know him pretty well."

Subsequently, along with the accompaniment of a small group of airmen from the base, Fitzpatrick met Pope Pius XII. Fitzpatrick recalls that his first impression of that Pope was that "he was big, tall and very intelligent."

In October 1945, Fitzpatrick was officially discharged with the rank of tech sergeant.

After the war, Fitzpatrick took advantage of the G.I. Bill and received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Penn State in 1950; his master's in microbiology from the University of Maryland and his Ph.D. in 1963 from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. As a biochemist, Dr. Tom had 30 scientific papers published and was one of the scientists who contributed to the discovery of prenatal vitamins and Lactaid for people who are lactose-intolerant.

Fitzpatrick was always present for the annual Arthur V. Savage Post 100 Memorial Parade in Wyndmoor. A devout Catholic, Fitzpatrick currently receives communion from St. Genevieve's Church in Flourtown.

Fitzpatrick, whose grandfather operated the current Northwestern Equestrian Facility in Chestnut Hill, loved horses as a child. "There were several barns where you could rent horses for a dollar for an afternoon," he said. "We didn't really know what we were doing, but we did a fair amount of renting and riding horses."

Fitzpatrick became an even more passionate equestrian after his retirement at age 55. He was a regular driver in the two-wheeled Carriage Class at the annual Devon Horse Show and in the Wissahickon Day Parade for many years with his groom, former Mounted Guard Officer Patrick Berkery.

Raymond Chain, Tom's nephew, and his wife, Carol, and family, prepared this statement about Tom: "What an honor it is to celebrate a century of life with Tom! He has been an amazing teacher and mentor to our family. Even to this day, he still is a walking encyclopedia, and what 100-year-old person could still recite the entire poem of 'Gunga Din?' Tom; that's who! Talking about 'living your life to the fullest.' He sure has! May God's abundant blessings continue to follow him onward! We love him so very much."

Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.