Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Muriel Brennecke is often the oldest person in the room, though you likely wouldn’t know it. She celebrates her 100th birthday on Wednesday.
“I can’t believe I’m so old,” she laughed at an early party held for her at the Renaissance Retirement Residence.
A table set off to the side at the party was filled with letters from people like the mayor, the premier, the Governor General of Canada, and even the Queen of England, congratulating her on her birthday.
Brennecke was born in Weyburn in 1916. That was before Superman appeared in his first comic, and before Winnie the Pooh appeared in his first book.
Her father was a farmer and she lived in Weyburn until the 1940s when she moved to Regina.
Brennecke has seen a lot of changes in that time.
“There’s certainly a lot more buildings, the traffic is awful, and it’s growing so fast. You know, I don’t like to be in too big a city, but it’s growing fast just the same.”
Brennecke loves sports, and, appropriately for a Saskatchewan girl, she’s a big Saskatchewan Roughrider fan.
She used to go to the games with her husband, but doesn’t remember exactly what year the first game she saw was.
“But I’ve been watching them for a long, long time. And I watch them all on TV, doesn’t matter who’s playing.”
Brennecke’s niece once got Matt Dominguez to visit her before a game against Calgary.
She got married when she was 38, and didn’t end up having kids. But she says her nieces and nephews spoil her.
Looking back on the highlights of her life, Brennecke said she traveled a lot with her husband.
“We went to the west coast and the east coast many, many times, and we planned a big holiday every summer.”
Brennecke doesn’t really know what the secret to her longevity is, though she knows it’s not liquor.
“If I took a drink today I would flop.”
For her, the key to longevity seems like more of a family tradition.
“I have two aunts that lived to be 100, and I have several cousins that are going to be 100 in two or three years.”
