Happy Birthday, Clarence! Bismarck man reaches the century mark

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - One Bismarck resident has beat the odds. He’s one in 5,000 who can now refer to himself as a centenarian.

Clarence Bauman turned 100 on Saturday. He has officially lived an entire century, full of hard work and happy memories.

“He’s been saying for the last few years that he definitely wants to make it to 100,” said Bill Bauman, Clarence’s son.

Reaching 100 years is something Clarence is very proud of and feels it is a great accomplishment.

“Not too many people reach 100 years of age,” said Clarence.

Clarence said that like most people he knows, the original goal of life was to reach the age of 90.

“Well, when I reached 95, I thought, ‘Well, now we’re starting to get old,’” said Clarence.

90 came and went, and before he knew it, he was 99 and still volunteering at The Banquet in Bismarck serving food.

“Up until this fall, he was at home living independently, and shoveling the neighbors’ sidewalks and mowing his own lawn,” said Bill.

So, what is Clarence’s secret to a long healthy life?

“I put a capital W-O-R-K on it, work. Surely that’s what I did,” said Clarence.

Clarence spent his more recent years working in any way he could. From trimming trees and shoveling snow to volunteering at his church, all at the age of 99.

“‘Work makes life sweeter.’ He would always say that as we were growing up,” said Bill.

After reaching his 90-year and 100-year goals, Clarence says his next goal is 101. He says he’s already been working on it for a few days.

Having been born in 1923, Clarence had a one percent chance of living to see a full century.

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