On Aug. 4, Elvira Bryant, her many friends and family members will have a special reason to celebrate with her as she turns 100 years old. Family members are already making plans for a special get together.
Formerly of Victoria, B.C. Elvira came to Quesnel six years ago to be near her daughter Tanis. She and other residents of the former Baker Lodge were moved into Dunrovin Park Lodge.
This retired school teacher taught English and music to schools in Terrace, Nass Camp where she was principal, Masset on Queen Charlotte Island’s Haida Gwai, English in G.M. Dawson secondary school. Two of her grandchildren were enrolled in the Nass school.
Another passion for Elvira is painting in water colours for many years and is the author of three books. Two paintings that she was commissioned to do were of the golden spruce and the church in Haida Gwai that has since burned down. Her sister did oils and painting on china.
One of her grandsons writes letters to her regularly and she looks forward to these. She spent a great deal of time seeing and corresponding with people who are sick in hospital.
As Elvira looks back on some happy memories she recalls when she and her sister Eleanor owned a house in Maui for a number of years.
Her family here includes daughter Tanis, granddaughter Carmen and six great grandchildren, three grand daughters on the Charlottes, one grandson in Vancouver and another grandson deceased.
Elvira wrote for the Terrace Herald Newspaper and the Queen Charlotte Island Observer while she was living in those communities.
Tanis visits her mother daily where they play scrabble in the dining room. It is still very important to have a different set of earrings on every day choosing from her vast selection. She gets her hair done every week with a little streak of blue or purple by Anna’s Salon who comes to Dunrovin twice a week.
Elvira has found many things throughout her life to celebrate. The day I spoke to Elvira on behalf of the Observer, Feb. 24, a number of residents assembled in the dining room were cheering loudly. It was the Dunrovin Winter Games and she and Tanis had left the circle to speak to me albeit with some difficulty hearing one another. Elvira won a first place medal in curling which she wore proudly. All three winners were in wheel chairs.
Wednesday bingo is the highlight for many of the residents.
She has many wonderful memories from her active life over the years. One of her earliest memory was as a two-year-old when she fell on rocks and of blood coming
from her forehead. When drawn attention to it one can notice a slight scar over her left eye.
All in all Elvira seems to come through her nearly 100 years practically unscathed although I’m sure she has suffered many heartaches and pains that are all a part of life.
– submitted by Ruth Scoullar