A man who made thousands of family get-togethers special is ready to do some celebrating of his own.
Karl Misa, who founded one of Auckland's biggest Christmas tree farms, turns 100 on Monday.
"I've worked hard and I have had a good life," he says.
The centenarian moved to New Zealand from the Croatian village of Podgora in 1925.
He joined his brother Tom, who had moved here 10 years earlier.
Together they bought a poultry farm on Balmoral Rd in 1940.
It's now the base for a festive family business.
The business started during World War Two when Karl stayed in New Zealand with the Home Guard.
He cut the tops off the many macrocarpa trees on the property and then sold them as Christmas trees.
At the time their top customers were American servicemen.
"They would buy the trees for their sweethearts," Karl says.
The keen moviegoer says bachelorhood and red wine are the secrets to his long life.
He also worked as a dairy farmer and gum digger before opening Capitol Fish Mart in Balmoral with Tom and running it for 40 years.
Karl lived with his brother, his wife Antica and their five children.
Tom's eldest son Roni says Karl was like a second dad, especially after his own died in 1966.
"We always had our family around, and he's had such a great impact in all our lives."
Niece Sylvia Sokolich says the family, including many nieces and nephews, are lucky to have Uncle 'Sisi' still around.
"He's never been alone, he's always been supported and loved," she says.
Karl was active into his 90s, and was known for growing orchids and selling plums, grapes and firewood.
Illness has taken its toll and he's now living in the Guardian at Hillsborough, formally Hillsborough Hospital.
But he's proud of his life, especially his superior selling skills.
"I could sell snow to Eskimos."
Karl will celebrate his birthday on Sunday at Eden Terrace's Dalmatian Club, where he is a life member
By AROHA AWARAU - Central Leader Friday, 13 July 2007
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