Century club

When Linda Tubro, Lorna Hancock and Bertha Lawrence were born, the First World War was four years in the future, the world was less than a decade removed from the end of the Victorian era and Sir Wilfrid Laurier was winding down his fourth term as prime minister.

By year’s end the three women will cross a threshold that remains a rarity in Canada, joining a century club that has about 5,000 members countrywide.

Hancock, joined by her granddaughter Erin MacLean at a joint celebration at Versa Care Thunder Bay, said she can’t believe she made it this far in life.

“It’s amazing,” she said, surrounded by friends and family on Tuesday afternoon. “I never thought I’d be this old.”

The former nursery school teacher isn’t sure what got her to the magic age of 100.

“Good parents,” I guess.

MacLean said she’s proud of her grandmother for hitting the milestone, but more important for the way she’s lived her life.


“She’s very special. She’s always been a special woman. She’s done a lot of good things in her life. She’s been a nursery school teacher, had four children, seven or eight grandchildren and I think she’s at 14 or 15 great grandchildren,” MacLean said. “She’s led a long healthy life. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of her smoking, never heard of her drinking. She’s just led a good, honest life.”

Lawrence said it was impossible to describe how it feels turning 100.


A former school teacher who brought out class pictures dating as far back as 1934 to share with friends and family on Tuesday, wasn’t quite sure what all the fuss was about.

“I guess being 100 is something to be proud of, but you know you get there and you can’t stop yourself,” she said. “And there you are.”

Granddaughter Nicole Dean said her grandmother has regaled her with a lifetime of stories over the years, incredible tales of a bygone era.

“A hundred years is absolutely incredible,” Dean said. “Not too many people, obviously, especially nowadays, will get to experience that experience. And I think it’s absolutely wonderful.”

Dean credited the occasional glass of red wine to Lawrence’s longevity, welcome news for MPP Bill Mauro, who presented all three women with a plaque from Premier Dalton McGuinty congratulating them on the milestone.

Mauro said it says a lot about today’s society that three women in the same senior-care centre would hit 100 in the same month.


“We’re obviously all doing something right. The staff here is obviously doing something right. People are living right. And it’s not lost on me either today that the three celebrants are all women. We always say they’re smarter than men, and I think this is proving it here today,”

Greetings were also made on behalf of the federal government, the governor general and MPP Michael Gravelle.