Murray Wood: Friday's hot or not from superheroes to kickoff
Murray Wood runs down what's hot and what's not this Friday, from 3D Superman punches to Saskatchewan's record-setting s...
Mickey Gower doesn’t own a cellphone. She’s never used the internet. But at 106 years old, the Moose Jaw legend still lives on her own, cooks her own meals, and plays bridge three times a week.
“She sets an example,” says her son Gregg Gower. “By lunchtime, she’s done what most of us do in a whole day.”
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Born Muriel McConnell in Central Butte in 1919, Mickey has lived through the Great Depression, two world wars, and more than a century of social change. But her family says she hasn’t just witnessed history, she’s made her mark on it.
Mickey curled until she was 100 and has an eight-ender to her name, a near-mythical feat in the sport. She’s in the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame, served as president of the Saskatchewan Ladies Curling Association, and coached junior provincial teams to the national level.
“She’s got more achievements than most people even dream of,” Gregg says. “Not too many people have a hole-in-one in golf either. She does.”
She also worked as a nurse, volunteered delivering Meals on Wheels, and raised a family while competing in tennis, ball, and bowling. She stayed on the golf course until she was 100.
“She was always very competitive, but very gracious about it,” Gregg says. “I couldn’t beat her at curling. No way.”
Her second cousin, former Saskatchewan premier Grant Devine, describes her as the kind of person you rarely meet, humble but fiercely sharp, with a competitive streak that never turned mean.
“You could be playing cards or talking politics, she’d still find a way to win,” Devine said, laughing.
“She was a lifelong supporter of Tommy Douglas, and even when I was premier, she’d give me a little dig just to keep me in check.”
Mickey’s home was always filled with music. Gregg remembers family parties where she didn’t just host, she led. She’d jump behind the drum kit, tap the hi-hat and bass pedal, and get everyone singing along.
“She didn’t play an instrument herself, but that didn’t stop her,” Greg says. “She loved to get people going.”
Gregg, a musician himself, credits his mother for inspiring him, not just musically, but in the way she showed up for people. She organized skits, played games, encouraged laughter, and made every gathering feel like something special.
Even today, Mickey is frugal and independent, traits shaped by growing up during the Depression and living through wartime rationing.
“She’ll still walk away from something if she thinks it’s too expensive,” Gregg says. “She’s lived through times when people had to do without. That’s stayed with her.”
When people ask for her secret, Mickey keeps it simple: stay active, don’t eat or drink too much, and stay connected to others.
This week, her family is quietly celebrating with a dinner in Moose Jaw. The original plan was a small gathering, but word spread and more cousins started showing up.
“She doesn’t know it yet,” Greg says. “But I think she’ll be OK with the surprise.”
At 106, Mickey Gower is still setting the pace and still showing everyone how it’s done.
“Live one day at a time,” Gregg says. “But live it.”
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