Ida Fischer has likely seen a little of everything at this point
Ida Fischer cruises past the century mark with no signs of slowing down
She has lived through two world wars and this week celebrated her 105th birthday.
Ida Fischer has lived in this region all her life having been born in Irvine, farmed near Hilda and lived in Medicine Hat since 1967.
The only daughter in a family of five children, Ida married Jack Fischer in 1933, and they had five children, only one being a daughter.
In addition to farming, Jack was also responsible for delivering parcels that had arrived by train and driving a school bus. It all had to be fitted in to a day’s work between sunrise and sunset. When Jack was too busy Ida filled in for him where necessary.
She recalls putting two of her children in a buggy and pushing them across the open Prairie to find the cows that needed to be brought in for milking.
Even at this stage of her life she recalls driving the school bus as some of her happiest moments.
The “Dirty ’30s” produced massive dust storms, which meant having to clean the whole house only to have another dust storm develop and leave a layer of dust.
Those were the days when you needed to have a supply of wood next to the kitchen stove and light a fire before any meal could be prepared, said daughter Audrey Stenbeck.
“It was nothing to her to butcher two chickens on a Saturday to have enough fried chicken to invite a guest to dinner after church on Sunday,” said Stenbeck.
They depended on her vegetable garden to can and preserve vegetables and meant, said Fischer.
Even in the middle of winter the freshly washed clothes would be hung on the line to dry. When they were frozen stiff they were brought inside and hung on lines in the kitchen to dry.
“It dried faster after it froze,” said Fischer.
There were some incredibly sad moments in her life, too. Her eldest child, Sonny, had always been a quiet child and only after his death on Dec. 8, 1937, at the age of four, they discovered he had had a congenital heart condition.
In 1967 the family moved to Medicine Hat. Jack was ill with cancer and died 50 years ago.
“She remained in her own home, living alone, until she was 92,” said Stenbeck.
There is no history of longevity in the family and even now she has no specific health issues other than a sore back. Perhaps it can be attributed to her just being a hard worker, said Stenbeck.
“I can’t complain too much,” said Fischer.
Fischer was diligent about writing in a journal every day. She no longer does this herself but regularly checks to see that her children are continuing to do so on her behalf. Stenbeck says they are.
Last Saturday there was a small family celebration to mark her 105th birthday with her favourite cake, angel food.