George “Doc” Gunther of Stratford, the longest-serving state senator until his retirement a few years back, turned 90 yesterday and enjoyed a surprise birthday party at the Stanziale Restaurant across from the old Army Engine Plant on Main Street in his hometown. Monday, he continued the celebration by getting yet another dose of chemo for that kidney cancer that resulted in the removal of said organ.
“I’ve only had two birthday parties in my life,” the crusty former lawmaker just told the Blogster, sounding as if he had just had a couple liters of Spaten. The first birthday party was 10 years ago, when Doc was directed to a spot in the Capitol for no particular reason. He very nearly blew it off and drove home. “I got to the Capitol turnaround and said, ‘oh I’ll go talk to these people,” Gunther remembered. “Then I went to the wrong room, but someone finally spotted me.”
Gunther said his old buddy, the late Fred Biebel, helped set up Sunday’s party, along with Kaye Williams, patriarch of Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport and Gunther’s daughter.
“Honestly, I didn’t know anything about it,” Gunther said, describing how he was conned into going out for a private family dinner Sunday that turned into a party for Gunther and 100 other folks. He gripped that there was only one German dish at the Italian place: a roll of beef with veggies and red cabbage. He’s down to a dose of chemo every other week.
Doc’s words of wisdom: “I don’t look forward to living 110 yrs.”‘