Maryfield, Sask., woman still kicking up her heels after 100 years

Evelyn Bullock has seen a lot in her day but Sunday morning might have been the first time a parade was held in her honour.

It was Bullock's 100th birthday and about 70 vehicles drove by her place in Maryfield, Sask., to wish her a happy birthday.

Bullock, who still lives in her own house, is well known in the community of 350 people that's located about 250 kilometres south of Regina.

She still loves to dance, was a passionate curler into her 90s and still goes for long walks.

"Well I don't feel much difference," she said of turning 100.

There was to be a celebration dance in Maryfield on Sunday but it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Instead, the community held a drive-by parade Sunday morning complete with the RCMP, fire trucks and other well wishers.

The parade was followed by a street dance where everyone kept their distance.

Maryfield Mayor Dave Hill presented Bullock with a gift and cards from the town.

"Evelyn has been a very big part of our community for a lot of years," said Hill, who has known Bullock his whole life.

Hill said Bullock was an avid curler up until a few years ago.

"She was very serious," Hill said. "She wasn't one of those that went out and threw a rock and then went and stood on the sidelines. She was throwing and sweeping and very into her curling."

"I guess I kept at it," she said of her curling. "I used to get down in the hack and I never used a stick or anything."

Bullock even impressed curling legend Russ Howard when he came to town back in 2011,

"He signed my curling crutch," she said.

Born during the Spanish flu

Bullock was born during another pandemic, the Spanish flu, in 1920.

She grew up on a farm in a family of five and fondly remembers spending a lot of time at the lake swimming and boating.

"And I did a lot of fishing with my husband [Maurice], who died in 2007," she said.

She went to work at the age of 14 doing domestic work and married Maurice in 1944.

They had nine children who are now scattered across Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

They are all married and now she has 29 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren. 

Music and dance

Bullock developed a love of music and dance early on listening to her father play the violin as a child.

And she still is known for getting out to dance with her partner Len Gavin. 

Bullock said she enjoys Western music, especially the classics like George Jones and Waylon Jennings.

"I have music on my iPhone so I listen to music and I go walking by myself," she said.

After 100 years of living Bullock recommends relishing simple joys.

"Enjoy a glass of wine and enjoy your life. That's what I like to do," she said. "My boyfriend likes a glass of wine, too, so we get together on my deck quite often."