'I salute you'

COEUR d’ALENE — Robert Lawless considers himself a patient man.

Unless you’re late for his birthday party.

“Hi grandpa,” said Barbara Pennington. “Happy birthday and happy Father’s day.”

The 101-year-old glanced her way.

“You told me to be here at 1 o'clock. You didn’t even come close,” he said.

Pennington quickly apologized and said it had been a tough week.

“I don’t want to hear any excuses,” Lawless said.

“I know grandpa, but you’ll take mine today, right?” Pennington asked.

Lawless smiled and his eyes lightened. Sure he would.

“All right,” he said.

A delighted Pennington gave him a hug.

“My grandfather is a wonderful man. He taught me a lot of stuff since he came into our family," she said. "I love him with all my heart.”

Lawless, who served in the Army as a medic during World War II and the Korean War, was honored at North Star senior and assisted living during his birthday party Sunday afternoon attended by about 50 people.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “Nothing wrong with me. The doctor says I’ve got a couple things I need to take care of.”

Lawless received more than cake, candles and song.

He was honored with a Quilt of Valor and two medallions, which left him nearly without words.

“I present this medallion in recognition of your honored and dedicated service during World War II,” said veteran Lew Allert with Coeur d’Alene VFW Post 889.

“I salute you sir,” he said.

Next, veteran Bryan Bledsoe with American Legion Post 154 in Rathdrum, stepped up and placed another medallion around Lawless for his service during the Korean War.

“I also salute you, sir,” Bledsoe said, adding, “Happy birthday.”

Lawless was touched by the attention and at one point wiped away a tear.

“Thank you,” he shouted.

Marion Brendis, a friend, said Lawless is “totally sharp.”

“He’s got a sense of humor that’s really unusual and he’s always saying the funniest things," she said.

Joyce Pennington said Lawless married her mother, Lorene Pennington, more than 20 years ago.

She said she has learned much from him.

“He is somebody that likes to teach kids to do things, to make a life for themselves,” Joyce said. “He helped us in the same way with his experience.”

“You can’t beat him,” she added. “You just can’t.”

Lawless was a medic in the Army from 1942 to 1946 at a Chicago hospital.

He served again as a medic from 1951 to 1952 at Camp Roberts in California during the Korean War.

Lawless said while there were tough times, there were plenty of good ones, shared with friends and family.

“Everybody has a bad day. That’s all I can say about that,” he said.

Lawless, sitting in a motorized cart, said his legs have started to fail him, and he struggles to walk, but he’s not giving up.

He said he promised himself that he would exercise more.

“Just keep pedaling,” he said, when asked if he had any advice about life. “Keep pedaling, and you’re going to make it.”