Walker School fifth-grade teacher Lynn Kastholm presents Ullysses Backas with birthday cards from students at her school as neighbors gather around to wish him well on his 90th birthday. | Jon Langham—for Sun-Times Media

Neighbors Stephanie and Van Stapleton come forward with a birthday cake for Uly and Rosette Backas. Ulysses Backas, "Uly" to his friends, had a surprise party thrown for his 90th birthday. | Jon Langham—for Sun-Times Media

Ulysses Backas blows out two candles that spell out "90" on his surprise birthday cake. | Jon Langham—for Sun-Times Media

Rosette and Ulysses Backas are surprised to see their front yard full of neighbors wishing him a happy 90th birthday. | Jon Langham—for Sun-Times Media

As longtime neighbor Stephanie Stapleton carries the cake, neighbors and friends come to sing happy 90th birthday to Ulysses Backas, "Uly" to his friends. | Jon Langham—for Sun-Times Media

Ulysses Backas watches through hs front door as neighbors and friends sing happy birthday to him. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media

Several of the students that Ulysses Backas reads to at Walker School, a job he has been volunteering to do for 20 years, came to wish him a happy 90th birthday. | Jon Langham—for Sun-Times Media