Beth Coates celebrated her 100th birthday on Dec. 6.
She only really started to slow down when she was well past her 97th birthday.
There is a strong line of long lives lived in Beth’s family and Don Masson, her devoted nephew, joined the interview when The Citizen spoke with her at her residence at Rainbow Lodge.
Don said they had one great grandmother who lived to be 102, and most everyone else has lived well into their 90s.
“So I’m cheering for this girl to beat the record of 102,” Don laughed, as he affectionately patted Beth’s hand. Don’s father Hugh was Beth’s brother. Beth’s other siblings were Marjorie and Harold. Beth’s mother Edith raised four children alone after Beth’s father Charles died in 1928.
They never had much, Don said, but they always had enough.
Coinicidentally Beth was born on her father’s birthday so she has always felt a special connection.
Beth is thriving in her new residence at the senior facility and as it was for everyone those few months where the pandemic restrictions saw no in-person visits were a challenge.
Don and Beth are happy to once again resume their frequent visits and outings to enjoy each other’s company and keep that family connection strong.
Beth grew up in
They travelled all over the country for Fred’s work and spent many happy years together.
“They lived in every shack from
“When that stretch of the highway was built we moved on,” said Beth.
There are some fond members of time spent in
“Oh, Kakabeka Falls,” Beth recalled the scenic site west of
In B.C., the couple spent time in Osoyoos,
Don and his wife Diane moved to
Don said he had an unusual gauge to check Beth’s health and well being. Beth was a long time subscriber to The Citizen and Don believes she’d had it since 1959 when they first moved here.
“This was our secret way of monitoring Auntie Beth,” Don said. “The paper used to come at 6 o’clock in the morning and if Auntie Beth had the crossword done by the time we came by for morning coffee we knew she was good.”
Fred and Beth didn’t have any children of their own but were close with their nieces and nephews - like Don - and their families, which includes more than 30 people.
Beth was a homemaker who enjoyed competing in the home arts and horticulture Silver Tea Service competition at the Prince George Exhibition (PGX), now known as the BC Northern Exhibition (BCNE).
The contest was based on as many points as a person could gather in as many home arts and horticulture categories they could enter including showcasing items like baked goods, preserves, crocheting, knitting, sewing and vegetables and flowers grown in the garden. Beth was grand champion one year in her hey day and then thought she might give it a try again 20 years later and was victorious once again. Both silver tea sets have a place of honour at Don’s house for safe keeping.
When Beth and Fred settled into
The couple was very involved in the cribbage tournament world where at times a whole day would be spent playing the game.
Beth was a Meals-On-Wheels volunteer for a number of years and she also volunteered at the Auxiliary for the University Hospital of Northern BC and really liked that in their fundraising efforts they always had a target for an exact amount for a specific piece of much-needed equipment that would enhance the experience of patients who had to be treated at the local hospital.
“I spent a lot of time at the Thrift Store,” Beth recalled.
“They were always working for a common goal, the money wasn’t just going into a general revenue account,” Don added.
“The money was going to go to a certain machine - not that I can recall what machine that was - but the target was to raise enough for that machine,” Beth said.
Don said she was always very proud of her contribution to those efforts.
Of course for the celebration for Beth’s 100 years on this Earth during a pandemic Don has had to switch gears from a large party.
“When we celebrate we want Auntie Beth to have so many cards to open from everyone who loves her,” Don said about the little COVID-friendly party they planned.
