Saugeen Shores centenarians celebrated

Saugeen Celebrates Canada’s 150th Committee member Faye Menage with Dr. Margaret Large-Cardoso and her husband José Cardoso at the flag raising ceremony July 1.

Hub Staff

Local centenarians were honoured by the Saugeen Celebrates Canada’s 150th Committee with red and white corsages and flags to help celebrate Canada’s 150 years since confederation.

Three women in their 100th year: Marguerite Cluley, Kathleen Soden and Mary Patterson, along with Gord MacKay who is in his 101st year and Dorothy Dawson who is in her 102nd year, got to celebrate a day early when committee member Faye Menage visited each of them and wished them a Happy Canada Day.

The sixth centenarian to be honoured was Dr. Margaret Large-Cardoso who was born in 1916 in British Columbia and is now in her 102nd year. Large-Carsoso served as Grand Marshall for the Canada Day Flag Parade down High Street during Saugeen Shores Celebrates Canada 150 celebrations.

Dorothy Dawson, who will turn 102 in November said it was her grandparents who originally came to Canada from Scotland and that she was born on Pelee Island in 1915. “We had no high school so I went to Windsor to high school,” she said.

Veteran and 100 year old Gord MacKay, who was enjoying the sunshine that the day provided, said it was nice to be a part of a free country.

Soon-to-be centenarian Soden grew up in Southampton and was born on Victoria Street in 1917. She said that she was happy to be a Canadian and that it is “wonderful that we have something to hope for,” adding that it was nice living close to Saugeen First Nation as they have been good neighbours.

Mary Patterson, born in 1918 near Tara, agreed that Canada gave her a good life and a good place in which to raise her family.

Local Marguerite Cluley will celebrate her 100th birthday in February. “I was born just about four miles south of Port Elgin and I've been around the area all my life,” said Cluley, adding that she has 10 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

Dorothy Dawson (left) and Marguerite Cluley, residents of Kingsway Arms at Elgin Lodge in Port Elgin were starting their Canada 150 celebrations off with a family barbecue at the retirement home.