The residents and staff of The Palmerton busted out the balloons and birthday cake for a special centenarian on Tuesday afternoon.

Edgar Weiss hit the big 104 on Jan. 14, though his party was hosted on the 16th along with several other January celebrants.

Weiss said that he has lived in Franklin Township for practically his entire life, right up until he moved on into The Palmerton.

He grew up with six brothers and sisters, and was a hard worker from his earliest days.

“I didn’t sit on my dupa, I worked any place I could get a job,” he said.

Over the years, Weiss worked a variety of jobs in different fields. At one point, he spent some time at a farm where he took in a wage of $1 a day. During World War II, he was employed with Bethlehem Steel. He even had a stint as an undertaker. For 50 years, Weiss worked at a company in Weissport making hosiery.

Weiss was married to his wife, Evelyn, for about 43 years, and while he had no children of his own, he did have a stepson, and a grandson, Timothy, who he lived with up until when he moved to The Palmerton.

He did, however, have quite the collection of pets.

“I used to raise dogs, rabbits and chickens,” Weiss said. “And we always had pigs.”

His love of animals continues to this day, as he enjoys spending some quiet time observing the birds outside his window.

When it comes to the secret of a long life, Weiss is blunt, but he manages to slip some good-spirited humor into his advice.

“There is no secret, you just live,” he said. “What keeps you going is what keeps everyone going — breathing.”