Resident recalls many changes in Smiths Falls in last 100 years
Posted Feb 3, 2011 By Stacey Roy
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EMC Lifestyles - On Feb. 15 Winnifred Marquette will head down to Austin's salon for her weekly hair appointment just as she has for the last 40 of her 100 years here on Earth.
Stacey Roy, Smiths Falls EMC
In Winnifred Marquette's 100 years on Earth she has seen a lot of changes in the town of Smiths Falls, including the paving of the roads in the mid-1920s. She celebrates her centennial birthday on Feb. 19.
On Feb. 19, 2011 Marquette will mark her centennial birthday with family and friends at Willowdale Retirement Centre - a celebration that has snuck up on the long-time Smiths Falls resident.
"I never thought I'd live to this old," she said.
The local woman experienced many childhood illnesses in her youth, including measles, chicken pox and whooping cough. The last ailment she is certain she acquired around her second birthday when she traveled from her home country of England to Canada. Born in 1911 Winnifred (or Winnie as her friends call her) was often reminded of the positive turn fate provided her family in the spring of 1912 when they traveled to Canada. "My granddad wanted to have us come on the Titanic, but dad said he'd rather have his money for when he got here," Marquette added. "He arrived in Canada two days after the Titanic disaster."
Her father put his skills in stone masonry to work very quickly in the developing community of Smiths Falls. Marquette's father hand cut every stone that made up M.G. Henniger's rose stone home, which has since burned down. Henniger established a paving firm in town and began to pave the roads, as Marquette remembers, in 1925. However, the Smiths Falls resident recalls a time when none of the roads in Smiths Falls were covered in asphalt.
"Smiths Falls was just a small place when we came here," she added. "It's a beautiful town."
As a young lady, Marquette joined the work force, first at the Eaton's catalogue order office and then at Phillips Jewelry before moving on to work in a dental office and marrying her husband. Marquette would like to see the days of big industry return to Smiths Falls through the efforts of strong marketing by "somebody with some spunk."
Marquette will celebrate her 100th birthday with friends and family on Saturday, Feb. 19. Willowdale is planning a birthday tea for the resident complete with presentation of acknowledgement letters from the queen and political leaders.
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