With more than a century on this planet, Win Carson has seen and experienced her fair share of incredible things.
Since her birth on Sept. 21, 1911, the automatic pop-up toaster was created (1919), the concept of frozen food became a reality (1923) and, more recently, the world was introduced to the World Wide Web (1990).
But of all the amazing things that have happened in her lifetime, on her 101st birthday celebration Friday, Carson said one thing stands out the most.
“Marrying my husband, Bill Davis. That has to be the most memorable for me,” said the former White Rock resident, sitting in her suite at Whitecliffe Retirement Residences. “He was a magnificent ice skater and I saw him one day and wondered who he was.”
That was in Brandon, Man. After asking about him, they were introduced and sparks flew.
Only one catch. Davis was engaged to a girl in Winnipeg.
“I said I wasn’t going to interfere. If he was going to marry her, then that was that,” she said.
Instead, Carson went to the ice skating rink, where, by a stroke of good luck, she saw Davis again, and the rest was history.
“He called it off. So I guess I won the game,” Carson laughed.
The two – who had two sons together – moved to White Rock in 1975.
After Davis passed in 1987, Carson was resigned to live life alone. However, she eventually met her second husband, Gordan Carson, and they were married three years later.
After Gordon’s passing, Carson moved into White Cliff Retirement Residences, where she has lived for the past six years.
Although the former stenographer has lived through many sad passings, including the death of her youngest son due to a heart attack, she maintained the past 100 years have been a wonderful experience.
“I never thought I’d live this long, but I have had a pretty good life,” she said.