(Radio Iowa) — A former Iowa State University entomology professor bypassed the traditional cake and candles to celebrate his 85th birthday. Instead, Wayne Rowley jumped out of a plane. “The idea came to me when George H.W. Bush, our 41st President of the United States, sky-jumped on his 80th birthday,” Rowley said. “I told myself, if I make it to 85, I’m going to do that.”

Wayne Rowley

Rowley is now a resident of the Green Hills Retirement Community in Ames. The skydive included a freefall for two miles before his parachute opened. “I’ve been a pretty active person all my life and it wasn’t something I even gave a second thought to,” Rowley said. “People do it all the time. Why couldn’t I?”

Following the skydive in July, Rowley went on an annual solo fly-fishing trip to the Russian province of Siberia. That’s where he was for his 85th birthday on August 27. He just recently discussed the skydiving adventure. “I thank the good Lord I made it to 85 and I kept that promise to myself. It was fabulous,” Rowley said.

A Utah native, Rowley moved back to Ames last year from another retirement community in Maine. He decided to return to Iowa following the death of his wife, Annette, who was a long-time English teacher at Ames High School. The couple raised two sons and a daughter. Rowley said he had so much fun skydiving last summer that he plans to jump again in the spring.