100-year-olds Party It Up with Firefighters & Family in Weyburn!!

A centenarian is a person that has reached the age of 100 years. Which throughout time has been a real rarity worldwide. However as the life expectancy continues to increase slightly every year we are starting to see humans reaching this age more and more often. That said, it still remains to be quite rare.

Just recently Weyburn saw two local individuals turn 100 years of age! And to help them celebrate the Weyburn Fire Rescue popped by both Weyburnite's homes to drop off some gifts and congratulate them on their big day!

There were many photos taken and new beautiful memories created on this unique and uncommon day of reaching one hundred for Weyburn's John Rotariu and Ruth Schultz.

We were able to catch up with members of the three different generations of children that John Rotariu is responsible for here in Weyburn for their comments on their father/grandfather/great grandfather's incredible milestone of becoming a centenarian.

"It is quiet extraordinary that in his first 98 years he had very little use for doctors and then 6 days shy of his 100th birthday he has an operation to have a pace maker put in and still gets around on his own and drove until recently," explained Karen Nielson, daughter of John Rotariu. "There must have been something in the water in 1920 because there seems to be strong people from then, yes my father was tough as nails."

John George Rotariu was born July 12, 1920 near the town of Limerick, Saskatchewan. Then he moved to Wood Mountain at about the age of 12. And when he was just 23 he owned 2 quarters of land and raised cattle there. He worked a multitude of different jobs in his early years and settled on grading and building roads for municipalities in Saskatchewan from the 1950's to retirement in his early 70's. He married Clarice MacGowan in 1951 and they raised 7 children. They moved to Ogema in 1976 and They retired to Weyburn in 2000 where they still live in their home where he enjoys gardening.

"It’s amazing how little time he’s ever had to spend in a hospital," told Kayla Nielson, granddaughter of John Rotariu. "Grandpa’s first stay in a hospital was shortly before he turned 99, last year. He actually spent his 99th birthday in the hospital, much to his dismay! Then, this year he had his first operation days before he turned 100. I believe those two were the only times!

Grandpa seems to possess some very good genetics because his mother and three siblings all lived into their 90’s. But, it should be mentioned, that he lead a fairly healthy life and always kept busy; whether in his big vegetable garden, numerous wood projects or visiting with people in town during errand runs.

He leads a calmer and less busy life now. His daughter, my mother, visits them near daily and helps with everything she can"

"Great Grandpa is kind sometimes and sometimes he is very honest," said Gemma Conroy, Great Granddaughter of John Rotariu. "He loves plants. Great Grandma and Great Grandpa always give me treats at their house."

For his one hundredth birthday Rotariu and a small group of family members enjoyed some tasty catered food from the Welsh Kitchen & Bakery in Weyburn at his home in town.

Joining him as a fellow Centenarian recently was Ruth Schultz who was also visited by the Weyburn Fire Rescue on her special day.

And the Weyburn Fire Rescue even raised their firetruck ladder as high as they could to help make Ruth's big day even more special and to let everyone know about her amazing once in a lifetime moment.