Vic St. Pierre was surprised after Mass at St. James the Greater Church with an envelope containing a picture of a real road sign. At first he thought the picture was his present, and was flabbergasted when he realized there was an actual sign on a street corner bearing his name. (Photos provided) CONCORD — Vic St. Pierre received an unforgettable gift from fellow parishioners at St. James the Greater for his 99th birthday: his own street.
“Vic St. Pierre Place” is now a private city road on the St. James the Greater Church campus, a constant reminder of a devout man who serves both his country and his Church.
Vic St. Pierre served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Cuban Missile Crisis. He retired after 28 years of service in the U.S. Marines. “I was flabbergasted and utterly amazed. How did they accomplish something like that?” asked St. Pierre. “To get your name on the street? You have to be somebody special for that.”
“Somebody special” is an understatement. The medals on St. Pierre’s uniform almost outweigh him. He served as a U.S. Marine during World War II, Vietnam and the Korean War, and is one of only 66,000 American World War II vets still with us. At St. James, he serves as a Eucharistic Minister and does not miss a Tuesday serving on the volunteer maintenance crew.
“Vic is a force. The guy is sharp as a tack, a walking encyclopedia and an incredible friend,” said Mike Ford, the man who spearheaded the mission to name the street after St. Pierre. “I thought that there has to be some way to honor this guy, and I didn’t want to do it posthumously. I thought that I wanted it to be something that everyone would see, and see for years to come.”
Ford didn’t want a temporary plaque or a day of observance. He wanted something more permanent. A legacy. A street.
Ford floated the idea a year ago, and while everyone loved the idea, the road was lined with red tape. First, they needed approval from the diocese, and then the city. The latter took the bulk of the work, with City Council meetings, government agency verifications, code enforcement policies, lots of paperwork and yet more signatures. Ford persevered while managing to keep the surprise from St. Pierre.
The payoff was St. Pierre’s smiling face when he opened the envelope containing a picture of the sign after Sunday Mass on his birthday weekend as the entire congregation clapped.
“He said several times it was the best birthday he has ever had,” said Ford. “He really appreciated it. Imagine something named after you. I think it really touched him.”
St. Pierre claims the key to longevity is simple: stay busy, go to Mass and pray a lot. He can be found at St. James at his workbench with coffee and a donut in hand, ready to repair whatever is needed. On Sundays, he drives to Mass – sometimes three times – to distribute Holy Communion, something he has done since he became a member in 1983.
He is from a simpler time, when there were not even school buses, much less smartphones. He remembers walking miles to Catholic school each day and to church most weekdays because he liked being there.
“I was a cradle Catholic, and I’ve been involved with my faith ever since I was a young boy. At times I’d go to church by myself,” said St. Pierre. “I sang in the choir and was a lector ever since I could remember. One day, I opened my mouth, and nothing came out. I lost my voice. I guess it was God’s way of telling me to slow down a bit.”
Yet he has not slowed down. In his free time, St. Pierre is a Fourth-Degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Scottish-American Military Society, through which he dons his kilt to perform at the Highland Games.
Each Christmas, he sets up and operates a miniature village and train that wins over the hearts of children, young and old.
“Vic is not your typical 99-year-old. He is a dynamo. He’s an inspiration,” said Ford. “Some mornings I have to say, ‘Well, Vic wouldn’t sit around and do nothing,’ and that gets me going. He’s so well liked, and he is not just well liked because he’s an old man and he’s a war hero. He’s well liked because he’s Vic.”
— Lisa M. Geraci
