A Smiling Ray Kentner
Observes 102nd Birthday (Ray died in May of 2007 at the age 108  after suffering a stroke in November of 2006)
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BY CHARLES W. KELLY

Ray G. Kentner, 11140 State Highway Rt. 37, Lisbon, N.Y, celebrated his 102nd birthday on Thursday. Mr. Kentner operated a farm machinery business, but at one time also owned his own airplane.

 Mr. Kentner is holding a 1902 Edition Sears, Roebuck catalogue which was 1163 pages long and cost 50 cents.  Mr. Kentner says that Sears could supply almost everything that was in common use in that era.  Items such as horse whips; hog scrapers; brass or zinc wash boards; a dog or sheep powered treadmill; a large wagon; a small doll carriage; a full size organ, $22; a small diamond solid gold ring, $2.75; a man's three piece suit $10; a silk necktie, ten cents; a ladies mohair swimsuit, suitable for today's snow skiing; a family house bundled and shipped by railroad that you assembled -like a jig or 3D puzzle; a Sears motor buggy, actually a horseless carriage, were a number of things he wrote down for us. Those were the days "My Friends."

Mr. Kentner told us when we visited him Thursday afternoon that his brother Masons, from area Masonic Lodges, stopped by the Kentner home Thursday to give him a birthday party. His family members said that he really enjoyed the party.

Ray Kentner's eye sight is failing him, but his mind is very keen.  The
Kentner family members read him The Journal each day. He gets his national news
from the television.

 His first question to us Thursday was what is the story about Madrid
native David Rupert and the "Real IRA." His mind is wonderful, he was born in
the 19th century, lived the 20th century and is going strong in the 21st
Century.

He would be considered one of the few experts on the construction
of the St. Lawrence Seaway still living. His property looks out over the Iroquois Lock.  He also witnessed the construction of the Robert Moses Power Dam.  He has lived and worked along the St. Lawrence River all of his life.  He has certainly seen major changes in the river flow over the past 100 years.