Mississauga resident Marie Kay celebrated her 100th birthday today at the Beechwood Retirement Place, near Dixie and Rathburn Rds., serenaded by her grandson-in-law Kent Campbell who belted out Raymon Moore's 1893 classic — Sweet Marie.
Wearing a flowery gray printed dress and balancing a stone-studded tiara, Kay looked regal. Her exuberance remained unabated as she gamely partied with her friends and family.
“I walked a lot and that's helped a great deal,” Kay said on her longevity. “I was interested in sports - tennis, badminton, curling...I have a wonderful family who'll do anything to come and see me.”
Kay was born May 7 and was the oldest of the Fournier children. She spent her childhood surrounded by music and began playing the piano by ear when she was 10 years old.
“She was a beautiful, vivacious young woman who loved music and dancing,” said Bernice Thiel, Kay's daughter. “As a sportswoman, she was involved in tennis, lawn bowling...in 1996, at the age of 88, she and her partner won the euchre championship for Mississauga.”
Kay left the family home in New Brunswick when she was 21 years old and moved to Kapuskasing, Ontario, where she worked as a waitress. She met her first husband, Robert McCartney, there and they were married in 1931 and had two children. After McCartney died in 1962, Kay met and married William Kay.
Kay moved to the Beechwood Retirement in 1990 and been active, participating in many activities there.
“She lives her life in a sensible, practical way with great determination,” said Thiel. “Even to this day, her intellect, great spirit and sense of humour remain intact.”
rpanjwani@mississauga.net
