SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 9
Soon-to-be centenarian and WAC member Sylvester "Sy" Iffert will celebrate his
100th birthday on September 26. A Club member since 1956, Sy joined the WAC
aer serving in the Army in North Africa during World War II.
Before enlisting, Sy spent
his childhood on a southern
Minnesota farm. He was one
of 14 siblings, including a twin
brother, with whom he milked
21 cows every day.
Aer sustaining a back
injury in combat, Sy was sent
to Walter Reed hospital in
Maryland before moving back
to the family farm. He made
a full recovery and moved to
Seattle to begin working as a
captain for United Airlines. He
eventually met and married his
wife of 48 years, Karen Carlson
Iffert (née Casey). Together, the
couple raised two daughters, Teresa and Jena.
Sy recounts fond memories of learning to swim at the WAC pool in order to
qualify for over-water flights. He worked as a United Airlines pilot for 41 years and
retired at the mandated age of 60.
He also served on e Museum of Flight Foundation for many years and support-
ed local politics by throwing parties and Young Republicans meetings. "I say that no
matter what happens, today is a new day and yesterday is an old day," Sy says. "I don't
worry about what's in the past—that's how I've gotten this far."
first take
100th birthday / podcasts
"Basecamp for Men"
Many WAC members know Hagerty's
bartender Tony Rezac. What you might
not know about Tony is that he is an
author, workshop leader, and men's
coach. He also was recently contracted
by America Daily to write and host a
new podcast, "Basecamp for Men." e
show covers topics about men and mas-
culinity with titles such as "How to Raise
a Boy," "e Power of Men's Groups,"
and "Breaking Open the Man Box." New
episodes are released on Tuesdays.
"Somebody Somewhere"
Looking for your next great podcast
to binge? Check out the second season
of the critically acclaimed "Somebody
Somewhere," produced by WAC member
and former federal prosecutor David
Payne. e nine-part series reinves-
tigates a deadly shooting in Seattle's
homeless encampment known as "e
Jungle." e 2016 shooting pushed Seat-
tle's homelessness crisis further into the
headlines and shone a spotlight on those
living under the freeway.
facebook.com/thewacseattle
instagram.com/thewacseattle
u
Discover more
on wac.net
View photo
galleries from
WAC events:
wac.net/photo-
galleries
u Watch Hamachi sail across the
Pacific Ocean: wac.net/hamachi
u Place your WAC Business
Directory listing: wac.net/directory
Keep up with
Club happenings:
wac.net/
events-calendar
Happy 100!
Must-hear podcasts
wac.net/basecamp-for-men wac.net/sbsw2
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