Ivan Kobzar with his wife Nellie Kobzar.
Reminder Publishing photo by Peter Tuohy
LONGMEADOW — On Jan. 5, Ivan Kobzar was recognized with a cake and a card by Longmeadow Council on Aging Director James Leyden and Vice Chair Sandra MacFadyen.
Each year on Jan. 1, Kobzar not only rings in the new year, but celebrates another birthday as Longmeadow’s oldest resident. This year, he turned 103.
Kobzar was born in Russia in 1923 and moved to the United States in 1990, eventually settling in Longmeadow in 2013. On July 16, 2025, he was recognized by the town with the Golden Cane, a New England tradition dating back to 1909 where the oldest citizen in town is gifted with a 14-karat gold headed ebony cane. The cane had not been awarded in Longmeadow since 2017. He is the father of eight, grandfather of 25, great-grandfather of 36 and great-great-grandfather of three.
While Leyden and MacFadyen gave Kobzar his birthday cake, Kobzar said he was very thankful for the recognition and blessed them both to live as long as he has. He added that the best part about birthdays is family being able to celebrate together.
During the visit, Kobzar couldn’t take the smile off his face. He said if a person is happy and satisfied with themselves while surrounded by family and friends, they will always be smiling like him.
