Jean Booth sits outside in her wheelchair, grinning from ear to ear, wearing a paper tiara, while being serenaded by pipes and drums.
No pandemic was going to stop the Cassellholme resident from celebrating her 100th birthday.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life ever,” said Booth who was shaking her head in awe, as family, friends, and staff acknowledged the milestone with balloons and posters all while respecting physical distancing guidelines.
Decorated vehicles paraded past her, slowing long enough to offer birthday wishes through rolled-down windows.
Her 75-year-old son Brian Thomas was amazed by the love shown to his mother.
“I was actually in tears and I’m not a teary kind of guy,” said Thomas.
“This is amazing that everyone has come out to support my mother. She lived all her life in Hamilton, and she came north eight years ago because she was failing a little bit and she didn’t want to put pressure on me to come down to Hamilton all the time.”
The centenarian shared her secret to a long life.
“I lived a clean life, not because I had to, because I wanted to. And I don’t like pop. I didn’t drink it,” she laughed.
It was the first time in months that mother and son were able to see each other without a pane of glass separating them.
“I really haven’t had a chance to talk closely with her because of distancing but she was obviously pleased to see me today. What a sad thing that we can’t get to spend more time with her. We used to see her three or four times a week, spend an hour in her room and talk to her and maybe take her out on a day like this to get some fresh air,” said Thomas who explained that his mother is still able to chat with out-of-town relatives.
“They’ve set up Facetiming here at Cassellholme so we can talk to her a couple of times a week and she can now talk to her grandson and great-grandchildren in Toronto. She’s always laughing and always has a smile on her face.”
One of his mom’s greatest loves is playing the piano.
“My mother is really, really strong. She’s got a good mind. She is an amazing pianist. She plays by ear any song you sing to her, she will play it,” said Thomas.
“She used to have big crowds at the Empire that would come and listen to her play the grand piano. Here at Cassellholme she still plays the piano. Any chance she gets she’ll still play.”
Jean’s daughter-in-law Kathy Murray described her as a bit of a social butterfly.
“When we would take her to family celebrations, she always loved to talk to everybody and play the piano. And I think that’s her secret, that she is a people person and she’s socially engaged all the time.”
Birthday plans were changed due to COVID-19, but family and friends made sure Booth enjoyed her day.
“It means everything to us. We didn’t think she was going to make it to her 100th birthday. She hung on and bounced back from Influenza A and pneumonia about a month and a half ago. They called us in through the night, but she pulled through. I told her she had to hang on until at least until her 100th birthday. We call her our Ever-Ready Bunny. She just keeps on going,” grinned Murray.
Murray described her mother-in-law as being “A good person with a big spirit.”
“She loves everybody. She’s always happy. You hardly ever hear her complain. She is grateful for everything the nurses here do for her and I just have to compliment them. They have done a wonderful job looking after Jean,” said Murray.
“The staff here really loves mom. It is genuine. It is caring” said her son.
“Sometimes they make her laugh. She has a good sense of humour. She’s got wit and charm. So, she’s doing not too bad under the circumstances.”
A mother of two, the centenarian left the family farm at age 14, and as was common practice back in the day, set out to find work.
“She became a domestic in a wealthy household in Hamilton. She did various things during the war. She packed mortar shells in the factory. But being a salesperson was her favourite job. She worked in a bridal salon and she loved that. She and her husband had a hobby and toy store she helped looked after. She just loved engaging with people,” shared Murray.
Thomas credits his mother for many of the lessons he has learned in life.
“My mother has always been kind but firm with high moral principles. I think my family values radiate not just from her, but from her mother, very strong women in both cases. I would like to think I’ve passed those values on to my two sons, and I hope they pass them on to their kids.”
