Penticton woman still active at 100
One look at Jean Patterson and you wouldn’t believe she’s 100 years old.
The Penticton resident became a centenarian on Tuesday, and was happy to share her secret to staying young: keeping active.
Patterson keeps both her mind and body active. When she isn’t walking on popular trails, she’s colouring.
“A lot of people will recognize mom in Penticton because she is a walker,” said Paula Bernard, Patterson’s daughter. “She knows every KVR trail.”
“I have walked miles,” Patterson confirmed with a smile.
She continues to walk to this day with a companion and always explores new trails.
Patterson was born in Vancouver and moved to Penticton in 2003 after her husband of 55 years, with whom she raised three children, passed away.
She spent her career years as a seamstress and designed patterns, even creating and sewing her daughter’s and daughter-in-law’s wedding dresses.
“She sewed suits for my dad,” Bernard added. “She could make any house a home.”
Although her sewing time is now limited in assisted living at Haven Hill, she still quilts and, much like her colouring, her stitches are neat and on point.
And over 100 years, Patterson remembers the Depression and war years well, having watched her brother in the navy leave during the Second World War.
“When we wanted anything, we had to save our own money, which was pennies and dimes,” Patterson said of those times.
But, overall, Patterson can’t think of a bad year during her life.