It was standing room only at the Kitimat 50+ Centre on May 24 as more than 100 friends and relatives gathered to celebrate Edna Partington’s 100th birthday.
“I didn’t think there would be that many people there, but we had a really good turnout,” Edna said.
The milestone was marked with two celebrations: the May 24 event at the Centre and a second on May 31 hosted by her family at the Rod & Gun Club. She was particularly touched that the RCMP and Mayor Phil Germuth came out to wish her well. “Both parties were really good. It was a lot of fun; we’ve been partying ever since," Edna added with a laugh.
Karen Bringleson, president of the Kitimat 50+ Society described the public celebration as moving event. “She didn’t know there were so many people who cared about her.”
Edna officially turned 100 on May 29 and remains a fixture in Kitimat life. She joined the Kitimat 50+ Society in 2012, joking that she thought she wasn’t “old enough to join the Seniors!” She has since become a regular at chair yoga, monthly lunches and the Creative Corner craft group. She cooks, bakes, sews, knits and recently painted her deck. “It’s helped keep her resilient,” her family said.
The Society recently awarded her a Lifetime Membership, an honour previously granted to only two others.
After more than six decades in Kitimat—61 years to be exact—Edna is preparing to leave the home she shared with her late husband Tom. She will soon move into Delta King Place Housing Society, a change she’s embracing. “This is a positive move I’m very much looking forward to,” she said. The long, dark winter nights at home had become lonely. She is ready for the comfort and companionship of assisted living, saying she looks forward to being around others and socializing more.
Asked how it feels to reach 100, she replied simply, “No different than 99.” And when it comes to parenting wisdom after raising seven children, she also keeps it light: “No advice. Just do it, just wing it.”
Edna and Tom moved to Kitimat from Calmar, Alberta in 1964, where Tom had begun work at Alcan. She followed with their newborn, two young children and the family dog, travelling from Edmonton by train. They raised five daughters—Arllis, Linda, Cathy, Marilyn and Shelly—and two sons, Ken and Richard. Today, Edna estimates she has “23 or 24” offspring.
Speaking at the celebration, Mayor Germuth praised Edna’s presence in the community. “Throughout your century of life, you have witnessed incredible changes, but you’ve also remained a constant source of inspiration to all who know you,” he said. “Your kindness, grace, and the positive energy you share with others have made Kitimat a better place.”
Reflecting on her life, Edna has no regrets and says there is nothing on her bucket list. “Everything is fine the way it is,” she said.
