Less than 1% of the world’s people can claim membership in the exclusive club of centenarians. One Eugene man has well surpassed that. He turned 108 on Thursday.

“Anybody who’s ahead of me in birthdays, raise your hand,” Beryl Dillman said, addressing a crowd that gathered in the dining hall of Merrill Gardens at Sheldon Park, an assisted living facility, to celebrate his birthday.

A few people chuckled, but no one could top him. “You don’t know what it’s like to be 100-plus. I’ve found out and I like it!” he said. Three large balloons overhead spelled out his age.

Dillman hummed contentedly as he took a bite of his white-frosted cake with the message in blue lettering, “Happy 108th Birthday Beryl.” The crowd cheered and clapped as 108 balloons were released from a balcony over his head. Posing for a photo, Dillman blew raspberries as he wiggled his fingers around his head and everyone laughed.

Dillman uses a walker to move around, but he’s still sharp and active. He likes to recite the alphabet backward and sing his favorite songs when he meets new people.

“As long as I’ve got my good mind, I can meet people,” Dillman said.

His family suspects that he’s one of the oldest people in Oregon.

A person at the celebration read aloud a letter from Gov. Tina Kotek, addressed to Dillman. “I didn’t even know who the governor was,” Dillman said. “That is so nice.”

Dillman has lived so long that he is participating in the New England Centenarian Study at Boston University, a research project documenting the oldest living people in the world. Dillman credits his diet for his longevity.

“Part of the secret is to be careful what you drink and eat,” Dillman said. “I never bothered with alcohol drinks and things like that.”

His daughter Ruth Sturges, 72, visits daily to take him on scenic car rides and to treat him to his favorite snack — a chocolate chip cookie and a cup of coffee.

“He’s always had such a positive attitude and a cheerful disposition,” Sturges said. “He’s always been a problem solver. So if there’s a stumbling block or barrier, he’s always looking for a way to fix it, not complain about it.”

Dillman, a retired educator, spent over 50 years as a principal, and later became a professor teaching at colleges in California and Illinois. Like her father, Sturges was a teacher and became the headmaster of a private school.

Sturges became teary-eyed as she described how her father showed his love for her in different ways when she was growing up. While she was in high school, he had prepared little gifts for her at every stop she made during a monthlong tour with a traveling choir.

“He was always very generous with his heart, with his time, with his humor,” Sturges said of her father’s approach to life and teaching.

Dillman was born in Illinois in 1918, the final year of World War I, the second-oldest of eight children. His earliest memories include riding a buggy with his grandparents and playing baseball in a church cemetery with his friends, using tombstones for bases.

Dillman had two daughters, six grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. One of his newest family members is the 6-month-old Bella Rose Sturges, who is still too young to sing “Happy Birthday” to her great-grandfather.

“She certainly has the very positive, cheerful outlook that he has,” Ruth Sturges said. Bella sucked quietly on a pacifier, observing the festivities with her piercing blue eyes. “She’s a great baby, never cries,” Sturges added.

Bella’s father, Philip Sturges, drove two hours from Portland with his daughter to celebrate with his grandfather. James Pence, another one of Dillman’s grandsons, had driven even farther — 5 ½ hours— from Yakima, Washington.

“It was worth the 11 hours to just even get to spend a couple hours with him,” Pence said. He said he rarely saw his even-keeled grandfather lose his temper over the years. “He was there to provide emotional and financial support through college and through having kids; it’s been a lifelong blessing.”

As medical advancements increase life expectancy, the number of centenarians living in the U.S. is expected to quadruple to over 400,000, according to the Pew Research Center. At Merrill Gardens, there are a few other seniors crossing the 100-year threshold, including Billie Marie Mitchell, 99, who turns 100 in November.

Mitchell said she can often hear Dillman, her neighbor two doors down, chuckling as he talks to his friends.

“He’s a colorful character,” Mitchell said. “He’s very friendly… he’ll always tell the truth. I think that’s a good quality.”

Jennifer Van De Hey, a director of the senior active living program at Merrill Gardens, said she loves to foster community and belonging among the residents to help them stay connected.

Van De Hey said assisted living is not a scary place when you have a good team. Every time a resident celebrates a birthday, she tries to make them feel special by blowing up the same number of balloons as their age. “Just to know that I brought joy to the residents, that day, makes my life so much more fulfilling,” Van De Hey said.

Dillman’s short-term memory is failing more these days, according to his daughter. She had to repeat certain questions to him so he could hear properly.

“Is there anything difficult about getting older?” his daughter asked him.

“Oh, anything good about getting older?” Dillman repeated the question to himself. “There’s bound to be some good to it.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/03/eugene-centenarian-108-beryl-dillman/