Honoring NYPD vet, 102
‘He’s the person you want to be,’ says grandson at party
A decorated World War II veteran and ex-NYPD detective celebrated his 102nd birthday Friday with gospel music and generations of his large family.
The Brooklyn party honoring Lawton Corbett featured a cake and a chorus of “Happy Birthday” as the guest of honor nodded and smiled at the attention while wearing a baseball cap honoring the days of his Army service.
“He is what you would expect a good man to be,” said his grandson Darryl Calhoun, 36, who read aloud a proclamation from the state Senate honoring Corbett. “He took care of his family. He helped everyone, he fixed everything. There are people you don’t want to be like at all, and people you want to become.
“He was the person you wanted to be.”
The party went on without expected guest Mayor Adams, who was in the police academy when Corbett began mentoring the young officer and future politician as the two men became close.
But the celebrants focused on the venerable guest of honor in Adams’ absence, recalling his service for both the U.S. military and the city of New York as a police sergeant.
Corbett’s musical therapist Charla Burton played “Happy Birthday” on her guitar before the cake was served in his room upstairs as the man of the hour sat surrounded by family.
Son-in-law Samuel Calhoun, a retired NYPD detective, said he referred to Corbett as “Doc” and recalled how the older man could repair almost anything.
“Whether it was electrical or plumbing, he could put his hands to work and fix it,” said Calhoun. “He is the glue that holds our family together.”
Corbett, sitting in a chair with some of his framed medals, was like a slice of American history come to life. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942-45 during World War II, earning numerous commendations and other honors for his efforts in a then-segregated service.
His daughter recalled Corbett visiting local schools to make presentations on his wartime efforts, with the former solider recounting his Army time in France, Italy, North Africa and Japan.
The long-retired hero boasts 14 family members in the NYPD, including Chief of the Training Bureau Juanita Holmes and his son-in-law. His wife Pearl died on Christmas Eve last year. The couple welcomed four biological children, four adopted kids, eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren — along with a host of nieces and nephews.
“He was like a dad to everybody,” said daughter Zelphia Calhoun, 59. “He was in the choir. He was the deacon in church. He was a painter, he got straight A’s in history. And he liked to tell jokes.”
She added that Mayor Adams “basically lived for a while” in their home, and would “always be around for dinner.”