TUCSON, Ariz. — Dave LeCompte along with his friends and family celebrated his 101st birthday at Trident Grill today.
“I’ve been blessed with good family," Dave said. "I have three kids that love me and love each other so I’m halfway successful.”
Dave LeCompte was born in 1922 in Philadelphia.
Hanging around on a street corner in Philly, Dave took up a career in boxing.
“Somebody said to us this week, 'your dad's a legend'," Dave's daughter, Gabriele LeCompte-Famous said.
Finishing with a 33-2 record, Dave hung up the gloves and served in the Korean War.
In 1956, Dave married his wife and three days later moved across the country, landing in Tucson.
“I was looking for a change of life because I didn’t want to stay in Philadelphia," Dave said.
A decade and a half later he opened his sporting goods store.
The most important part of his business was connecting with his customers.
“From the bottom of his heart, he will go out of his way for anybody," Dave's daughter, Dani LeCompte said. "He loves human beings,"
Throughout all the different careers, it was the people along the way that was most important.
“I can go almost anywhere in Tucson and there’s always someone that knows me," Dave said. "I love it. It’s one of the pleasures of my life.”
His daughter Gabriele is thankful for the Tucson community, who has continued to support her dad.
“I think this community of Tucson is a very special place where you know my dad can be a legend," Gabriele said. "He has so many friends and everyone looks out for each other so that is a very special thing about Tucson.”
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