Windsor Centenarians and Their Stories

Earlier this year, as part of the City of Windsor’s 125^th birthday celebrations, a public call was made looking for Windsor citizens celebrating the milestone of 100 years or greater in 2017.

34 friends, families and caregivers responded with beautiful stories of citizens that have helped to shape the history of our great city.  We are releasing the names now, as part of the City’s 125^th celebration and Seniors’ month in Windsor.

“These residents are living links to our rich and varied history. They are important contributors to what Windsor is today. Recognizing their milestone birthdays during the City’s 125th anniversary is a privilege.” – Windsor Mayor, Drew Dilkens

Our ‘youngest’ Centenarian, Frank Gignac will turn 100 in December of this year, while our most senior Windsor resident Archie Caplan will turn 105 in July.

Olinda Mascarin, who moved to Windsor from Italy in 1959, and now resides in LaSalle, is 107 years young – turning 108 at the end of 2017.

Each individual carries a rich history filled with personal memories of the City over the decades. They have attended school in Windsor, worked in Windsor and raised families in Windsor. One still plays piano, and many have been described as avid card players.

104 year old Jack Ingram moved to Windsor in 1923. His first job was delivering meat at the age of 13. He later opened his own meat store – Ingram’s Meats. In 1964 he fulfilled a personal dream of selling high end furniture to Windsor residents. JH Ingram Furniture, located at Hall and Tecumseh was a premier furniture destination for Windsorites for many years.

One of our Centenarians still lives in the Roseland Drive home he built in 1948. Ovil Lesperance remembers in detail much of Windsor’s history. If you would like, Ovil can drive over and tell you personally, as he just recently renewed his driver’s license. Ovil is 102.

A former Miss Windsor graces this list. Elmira Frenette still has the photos and news clippings from her victory in 1935.

Some Centenarians arrived in Windsor from other Canadian provinces or Michigan.  101 year old Helen Lynd was born in Detroit and met her Windsorite husband at a dance hall. 

Many of our 100+ citizens travelled great distances to start their lives here. Lithuania, Belgium, Philippines, Romania, Italy and Latvia are among the birth places of some of our Centenarians.

A few, like Gordon Ellwood and Jeannette Lefaive have lived in Windsor all their lives.  Both have birth certificates that identify “Ford City” as their birth place.

Mary Vaseleniuck once owned GMG Markets, while former Windsor playwright Edith Harris co-founded Windsor’s first Natural Nutrition Society.

Doug Walmsley was an engineer and foreman of the crew that worked in the Windsor Salt mine caverns in the 1950’s.

Rita Ramirez celebrated her 100^th birthday just a few weeks ago. Rita visited Pillette Park almost daily with her husband, watching it transform from a little park to one with a “dancing fountain”.

100 year old Irene Horwood remembers fondly shopping at Smiths and Bartlets as well visiting “a very nice hotel called The Norton Palmer”. Having lived in Windsor most of her life, Irene is impressed by the changes and improvements along our waterfront.

In 1930, when the Detroit-Windsor tunnel was officially opened, Robert Johnson, now 100 years young, was part of the ceremony as a boy scout. Robert also cut the ribbon at the opening of Remington Park School.

While many of us read books about history, some of our Centenarians point out friends in local history books. Pauline Henderson, turning 100 in November, has humoured her family by identifying friends in Marty Gervais’ book about rum runners.

The following is a list of the Centenarians that responded to the City’s request.

Olinda Mascarin                   December 4, 1909

Archie Caplan                      July 16, 1911

Mary Vaseleniuck                May 1, 1912

Madelynn Babilo                  May 25, 1912

Elisabeth Koreck                  September 11, 1912

Jack Ingram                          November 1, 1912

Vera Mary Daniher              January 7, 1913

Edith Harris                           February 7, 1913

Jenny Pratt                            July 5, 1913

Marjorie Strang                     September 2, 1913

Mary Bishop                          November 1, 1913

Ernest Nice                           March 13, 1914

Irene Ruel                             December 19, 1914

Ovil Lesperance                   January 25, 1915

Gordon H. Ellwood              August 5, 1915

Helen Lynd                           November 18, 1915

Bernadette Chaput              January 5, 1916

Ona Juodikis                          March 28, 1916

Margery Drake                      April 22, 1916

Mervin Tofflemire                April 29, 1916

Elmira Frenette                     August 8, 1916

Irene Horwood                      October 11, 1916

Marjorie Payne                     October 30, 1916

Robert Johnson                   December 3, 1916

Dorothy Harrison                 May 17, 1917

Rita Fabie Ramirez              May 22, 1917

Elsie Marshall                       August 5, 1917

Esther Polsky                       August 15, 1917

Pearl Marshall                      October 2, 1917

Jeannette Lefaive                October 3, 1917

Lillian Beemer                      October 24, 1917

Doug Walmsley                    November 1, 1917

Pauline Henderson             November 21, 1917

Frank Gignac                        December 14, 1917