Shelburne Long Term Care resident celebrates 102nd birthday

July 17, 2025 · 0 Comments

By Paula Brown, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Shelburne Long Term Care Home has marked a milestone birthday for one of its residents.

Family, friends and neighbours gathered at the local long-term care home, located at 200 Robert St. in Shelburne, on July 9 to celebrate the 102nd birthday of resident Eileen Hanna.

Born on July 9, 1923, in the city of Lisburn in Northern Ireland, Eileen was the second oldest of eight children and the eldest daughter in the Hanna family.

In 1938, at the age of 15, Eileen left school and began working in a factory where she worked on clothing for soldiers in the Second World War.

It was after the war that she met her would-be husband of 44 years, Norman. In 1950, Norman sent a letter asking her to move to Canada and marry him. Like many women during the post-war era, Eileen replied with a “yes,” and five short days later, she and Norman married.

Eileen and Norman went on to settle down in Toronto and have two daughters, Norma McLean and Pat Hanna. The couple lived in the Toronto area for the entirety of their 44-year marriage, until Norman’s passing in 1994.

Prior to moving into Shelburne Long Term Care Home, Eileen lived on her own in an apartment in Orangeville until she was nearly 99 years old.

“It’s pretty amazing,” said Eileen’s daughter, Pat, about her mother’s 102nd birthday. “For us, because she’s lived so long, this is normal and we take it for granted. She’s always been here and we’ve been so lucky.”

Shelburne Deputy Mayor Shane Hall attended the birthday celebration and presented Eileen with a Certificate of Achievement on behalf of Shelburne Town Council.

“Not many people can say that they’ve experienced 11 decades of history. Eileen has not only seen changes within the local area, the world, but also society as a whole,” said Hall. “I’m sure the stories that she shares are moving and full of wonder and amazement. So today, we don’t just celebrate a birthday, we celebrate a century of memories of character and of a life well lived.”

The Activities Department at Shelburne Long Term Care Home often organizes special events to recognize significant birthday milestones for their residents.

Sarah Brown and Haily Prentice from the Activities Department spoke with the Free Press about the importance of celebrating their residents.

“It’s not very often we reach an awesome milestone birthday like this,” said Brown. “It’s definitely important to celebrate the resident, because they’ve been through so much, seen so much and they’re so important to our community here.”

“Since we are such a small home, a lot of our residents grew up in the area or have raised families in the area. Recognizing such a big milestone birthday is important for them as well as the community,” said Prentice.

As she celebrated her 102nd birthday with music and cake, the Free Press asked Elieen Hanna about her secret to a long and happy life.

She simply stated, “being kind to other people and taking care of each other.”