Brantford woman celebrates 100th birthday with sister, age 105, at her side

Renie Wilson had a special guest attend her 100th birthday on Sunday – her 105-year-old sister Lottie Ciccolini.

The sisters, residents of Briarwood Gardens in Brantford, were the star attractions at the Sunday afternoon (July 9) party held at the Brant Naval Veteran’s Association club on Wadsworth Street.

The sisters enjoyed a birthday cake, a sip of wine and the company of extended family members including toddlers almost 100 years younger than the duo.

“They’re living a good life and they’re enjoying every minute of it,” said Dave Wilson, Renie’s son. “When my mother was young, she loved to dance.

“They used to walk two-and-a-half miles from Gilkison Street to Mohawk Park for the summer dances.”

After the dance they would walk home.

“That was their exercise,” Wilson said. “They didn’t have to join a fitness centre.”

Originally from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, the sisters came to Brantford in 1928 with their parents – Arthur and Emma Kingswood – and siblings.

Wilson and his brother Harry organized Sunday’s party. They included an exhibit of memorabilia capturing the highlights of Renie’s life.

In addition to dancing, Renie also enjoyed bowling and made headlines in the July 20, 1972 edition of The Expositor.

“Wilson’s 907 triple tops city fivepinners,” the headline said.

The story said “Renie Wilson set the pace for city fivepin bowlers by rolling a 907 triple in the Ladies’ major league last week.”

A second, undated Expositor headline said “Renie Wilson tops with 763 triple.

She also, in her younger days, enjoyed knitting, golf and, at one time, volunteered at Lansdowne School helping challenged youth.

The display also included a photograph of Gordon Kingswood, brother of Renie and Lottie.

A flying officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Kingswood died Feb. 12, 1945 when the plane he was in crashed in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia. He was 20.

“I wanted to make sure people remember him and the sacrifice people like him made for all of us,” Wilson said. “We all get to enjoy our lives because of people like him.”

Renie and Lottie received a lot of hugs from family members and appeared to be quite pleased to be the center of attention for the day.

Asked how it is that she has been able to live to be 100, Renie had a simple answer.

“I guess I’m just lucky,” Renie said.

Asked how it feels to be 100, she appeared to take it in stride.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t feel any different today than I did yesterday.”

Lottie, meanwhile, had the same answer to two questions asked by The Expositor.

She was asked what she thought was the key to living to 105. She was also asked what advice she’d give to people who want to live to 100 and beyond.

“No kids,” Lottie said.

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