{"459181":{"#nid":"459181","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Oldest Living Alumnus Rides in Ramblin\u2019 Wreck for First Time","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis Wednesday afternoon drive was 103 years in the making.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESamuel Ledbetter is Georgia Tech\u2019s oldest living graduate. He earned his degree in mechanical engineering in 1934. The LaGrange, Georgia native had to save up money from a paper route to be able to pay for his education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter serving in the military during World War II, Ledbetter worked in the automotive industry and also became a horologist \u2013 a craftsman versed in the science of making watches and clocks. Despite successful careers and raising a family, there has been one item Ledbetter has been itching to cross of his bucket list: getting a ride in the Ramblin\u2019 Wreck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough Ledbetter spent many years on campus and has returned many times, he has never had the opportunity to ride in the Ford Model A Sport Coupe that has become an iconic symbol of Georgia Tech\u2019s student body.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;After celebrating his 103rd birthday this year, a few folks at Georgia Tech heard they might be able to help Ledbetter realize a wish decades unfulfilled. The Alumni Association went to work setting up a tour of campus, with the Ramblin\u2019 Wreck serving as the official coach. During the ride, Ledbetter pulled up right beside Tech Tower for a visit with President G.P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson, who helped complete the guest of honor\u2019s wardrobe with a Georgia Tech pin. Wrapping things up was a rousing rendition of the fight song from the Georgia Tech Glee Club.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Sam Ledbetter (ME, 1934) just celebrated his 103rd birthday and had one wish Georgia Tech was more than happy to help make come true."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESam Ledbetter (ME, 1934) just celebrated his 103rd\u0026nbsp;birthday and had one wish Georgia Tech was more than happy to help make come true. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sam Ledbetter (ME, 1934) just celebrated his 103rd birthday and had one wish Georgia Tech was more than happy to help make come true."}],"uid":"28058","created_gmt":"2015-10-15 09:55:29","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:47","author":"Steven Norris","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"459201":{"id":"459201","type":"image","title":"Sam Ledbetter Gets a Ride in the Wreck","body":null,"created":"1449256361","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:41","changed":"1475895204","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:24","alt":"Sam Ledbetter Gets a Ride in the Wreck","file":{"fid":"203568","name":"samyoutube.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/samyoutube_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/samyoutube_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":293403,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/samyoutube_0.jpg?itok=i7EsqTuT"}}},"media_ids":["459201"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"506","name":"alumni"},{"id":"246","name":"Georgia Institute of Technology"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"144691","name":"oldest"},{"id":"6984","name":"Ramblin Wreck"},{"id":"171493","name":"samuel ledbetter"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:snorris@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Norris\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESocial Media Manager\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["snorris@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}