Harold “Bud” Barker had quite the surprise last Saturday the 14th when not only his family, but also his fellow employees threw him an 80th birthday party at the Airport Radisson Hotel.

Barker has worked at the Radisson for 13 years driving visitors to and from the airport. He says it’s his “retirement job.”

Before that he had worked at the Providence Journal for 38 years. He began as a printer and retired as a sports columnist.

The manager at the Radisson lured Barker to the hotel by saying he needed his opinion on a display for a certain party.

“He led me to the ballroom and opened the doors. People started saying ‘happy birthday’ and I thought I was in the wrong place. That was until I started seeing my grandchildren.”

Family came together for the surprise party from all over the eastern seaboard. Family came from Virginia, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Barker, who has five children, 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren with his wife Rosemary, said that it had been almost 10 years since the family had all been together like that and he was honored they had all come out for him.

“I was absolutely surprised. I just have a wonderful family,” Barker said. “It was a great party, but what are they going to do for my 90th birthday party now?” Barker joked.