Barrington Celebrates 100th Birthday Of World War II Veteran

BARRINGTON, RI — Barrington community members gathered Sunday to celebrate the 100th birthday of a local World War II veteran, reported ABC6.

Yvette Vary, who turned 100 years old on March 22, was honored with a parade led by the Barrington Police and Fire Departments and music from the Barrington High School Band.

Vary enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 and was honorably discharged in 1946, after which she received her GED and graduated from Bryant College. She worked for her late husband's construction firm for many years, was a member of Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), and participated in the Honor Flight program.

“One of Yvette’s most memorable stories of her life includes taking flying lessons in 1947 at the age of 26 and making an emergency landing in Chestnut Hill, CT, stopping just 50 feet from a local home,” said the Town of Barrington in a news release.

Many local and state politicians attended Vary's 100th birthday celebration, including Governor Dan McKee, Congressman David Cicilline, and Senator Jack Reed.