Aunty Christine has always been fiercely independent
September 28, 1919….
Notable events of that day: Omaha court house lynching, the fastest major league baseball game ever played, 51 minutes, New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies at the Polo Grounds, and in Montreal Annie Gilead in her home was in labor delivering to the world the one and only, Christina Miriam Gilead, weight unknown, (even then, mother never divulged her weight or age. Proper girls just didn’t do that).
Christina would never entertain that 100 years later it would be OK and that she would be proud to announce to the world that on Saturday, September 28, 2019, her age.
Regretfully, she has outlived most of her friends and sadly all of her siblings. She was the 5th of 6 children: Kathleen, Ilene, Patrick, Terrance and the 6th and baby of the family, Theresa.
Terry, as he was called, lived to dance with his younger sister on her 90th birthday.
With everyone gone, 95 came and 100 was not in Christina’s foresight.
Christina, however, is stubborn. Just ask anyone of her five kids, so 100 was no surprise to all who knew her.
Always fiercely independent, she made sure she had enough to do what she wanted to do.
When she bought her first car, all by herself, she took an auto mechanics course to make sure she knew how to maintain it. A very proud owner!
In her youth, Christina was quite the athlete as well; she cycled voraciously, riding daily with her baby sister Theresa and also with her girlfriends to far-off places like New York.
She also took pride in mentoring the next generation by finding purpose as a counselor with the Girl Guides of Canada.
Christina had spunk and loved people and life. She was an avid traveller even if it meant travelling on her own. She was unstoppable in her thirst for life and living it with zest. That thirst and energy is still with her, today.
A woman and mother to be admired, her personal credo is: to be believed and honored.
After all Christina is 100 years young. Clearly, she did most everything right.
At her 100th birthday party, which was celebrated at her residence on Terrebonne in NDG, where she still lives independently. Christina was surrounded by her children Joanne, Christine, Cheryl-Anne, Garry, Glenn, her grandchildren and a roomful of friends and other relatives.
Submitted by Christine Wells one of the daughters
