Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - It may be early in the year but a high school graduation ceremony was held at Tuesday night’s Rochester School Board meeting.

And it was a special ceremony, not just for the person who received the diploma but the board and others at the meeting.

The board awarded an honorary high school diploma to Leon Swendsen of Rochester.

Leon is 102 years-old.  

The northern Minnesota native decided to drop out of high school at the age of 15 so he could work on his family’s farm and butcher shop. Swendsen later served  in World War II and then worked as a driver for Greyhound Bus for 37 years. He had a perfect driving record during his long career. But he never took the time to seek a high school diploma, until recently.

During the ceremony, Swendsen told the board that he always regretted not graduating from high school earlier in his life.

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