It's Good to be King: Centenarian Bradt named Oak Crest royalty

DeKALB - Charlie Bradt, 103, has lost count of the countries he visited during his years spent traveling, but he is certain that he was never crowned king anywhere before DeKalb. Bradt and 89-year-old Guyla Winebrener were selected by fellow residents at the Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center's annual spring dance to reign as the 2007 king and queen. Both said they were surprised to be chosen. Winebrener, originally a Sycamore resident, was born on a farm in Mayfield Township but has lived at Oak Crest for the past 23 years. She spends her free time reading and volunteering as a secretary. Her duties include directing and greeting guests as well as helping with event planning, like the spring dance. The scene of this year's Flamingo Fling dance was decorated with palm trees, lights and balloons. Featured musical guests included pianist Pauline Cultra and banjo man Jeff Weishaar. Director of Activities Joan Launer said students from Sycamore High School's Key and Interact clubs came for the seventh year in a row to decorate for the event and dance with residents. &#8220They made it look like a different world,” Launer said. The dance was free and about 150 residents, students and family members turned out for the event. &#8220To me it's so neat to see the intergenerational relationship between the residents and the students in a social setting,” Launer said. Soloists throughout the evening included Liz Meyer, Jim King, Jim Baker and none other than Bradt, the king. The second-oldest Oak Crest resident by a mere 6 months, Bradt has been a choir member for 81 years and is part of &#8220My Other Family,” a singing group at his church. &#8220He sang to me when we were crowned and he also sang during the dance,” Winebrener said. Bradt has a quirky sense of humor and is greeted eagerly by others at Oak Crest. &#8220You're wearing your fishing outfit,” a nurse said to him about his fish-patterned, buttoned shirt. &#8220That's because I'm going fishing,” Bradt said with a mischievous smile. His apartment is adorned with paintings of far-off beach shores, group photos that include some of his 70 family members, a sweatshirt with a picture of &#8220My Other Family” on its front, and myriad souvenirs collected during his 15 years spent as a travel agent. A globe peppered with more than 100 green, orange and teal markers sits in a lobby display case and indicates locations all over the world that Bradt has visited. The globe is surrounded by various souvenirs such as inscribed plates from Asia and wooden carvings from Africa. Although Bradt doesn't do very much traveling anymore, he occasionally packs his bags for week-long vacations to Florida in the winter or Michigan in the summer. Bradt says he still drives when necessary but spends most of his time at Oak Crest where he participates in workout classes, plays cards with friends, and enjoys his time as king. &#8220I think I have one of the only families with five generations of drivers,” the centenarian said. As newly crowned royalty, Bradt and Winebrener will be responsible for participating in events like Oak Crest's annual Fall Festival parade in November. Carrie Frillman can be reached at cfrillman@daily-chronicle.com.