Wildwood Care Centre resident Edythe Woosnam turns 100

Edythe, a long-time resident who loves keeping busy, was recently honoured with a small celebration at the home

Edythe Woosnam has a favourite saying: “a man’s work is from dawn to dusk, but a woman’s work is never done.”

Indeed, it’s a mantra the Wildwood Care Centre resident continues to live by as she keeps herself busy doing everything from playing cards to enjoying outings to completing puzzles at the St. Marys, Ont. long-term care home.

On July 31, Wildwood Care Centre hosted a small celebration to honour Edythe, who turned 100 on Aug. 1. She is the newest member of the Wildwood Care Centre Century Wall, a place the home established several years ago to honour residents who are 100 years old or older. She is the 16th resident to get a spot on the wall.

Edythe was born in London, Ont. in 1920 and grew up in nearby Thorndale. Edythe and her husband had a farm where they raised their two sons.

“She was a hard worker on the farm; she milked cows by hand day and night before there was even electricity,” her son, Bob, recently said in a letter to staff.

Edythe has also had many lifelong hobbies, including baking and gardening. She was always busy baking pies, and she was even crowned “baking queen” three times at the Thorndale Fair.

Edythe has also enjoyed playing euchre and belonged to the Rinky Dinks Euchre Club of Thorndale for many years. It’s a hobby she brought with her to Wildwood Care Centre.

“I’ve watched her play and she’s pretty competitive; she wants to win and she has that fire in her,” Wildwood life enrichment co-ordinator Alison Hoskins says.

Having spent her life living in the countryside, Edythe continues to enjoy everything rural southwestern Ontario has to offer. She especially enjoys drives through the area and chatting about the farms in the region when residents and staff members take outings.

Edythe moved into the retirement living home at Wildwood Care Centre on Oct. 3, 2009, before moving into Wildwood’s long-term care home side, so she’s a long-time resident.

“We are very fortunate to have Edythe here at Wildwood for all these years,” Alison says.

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