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102-year-old proves youth has no age Featured
From the deepest desires often comes the deadliest hate.
That adage from Socrates holds an ounce-of-truth for Pearl Thurlby.
Sitting comfortably in a retirement home a few days before her 102nd birthday in the fall of 2015, Pearl reflects on the condition of the world.
“When did hate get such as big hand,” she muses. “No one seems to like anyone anymore. Especially people who are supposed to lead countries.”
A resident of Kingston all her life except for the five years she travelled with her husband while he worked as an engineer in the Canadian Armed Forces, Pearl is philosophical about the world around her wheelchair which she views with the curiousity and optimism of youth.
“When you get older, you have time to think,” the friendly woman says wisely, condemning the blight on the 21st Century called public shaming and dislike.
A resident of Helen Henderson Care Centre for the past five months, Pearl is the mother of four children (two of whom are deceased), grandmother of nine and great grandmother of 19.
“I tell them they can stop anytime they want,” she jokes about her growing family.
A cherished member of the retirement lodge who is known for her infectious laugh, Pearl smiles when she talks about her longevity.
“My mother lived to 100 and my father lived to 92. I tell people - it’s not me, it’s in the genes,” she says about living to such a remarkable age.
“The trouble is, when you get old - people expect you to BE old. But, you’re not old inside, you’re still young.”
A House Mother at Queen’s University for 19 years, Pearl overcame some of the toughest challenges in human history such as World War I, the Great Depression
and World War II.
Remarkably, she even helped win the Ontario championship title for her softball team in her youth.
“The funny thing is, when I played ball, you didn’t wear gloves,” she says fondly about her time playing second base. “And we survived!”
“As the old saying goes, the (hard) times made us tough,” she laughs.
The fourth child in a family of 11 siblings, Pearl’s passion for sports was passed down to her son Tom who played 20 NHL games for the Oakland Seals.
Pearl’s eldest son Bob is a former Fire Chief of Kingston Fire Department.
Calling herself fortunate to have the care and support of her two sons, Pearl continues to enjoy watching sports and the world around her.
“I’m looking to enjoying a lot more (time on earth) hopefully,” she chuckles mischievously.
“You never know though.”