Helen Henderson Care Centre in Amherstview has a new centenarian.

Helen Doreen Williamson turned 100 in August 2021.

Born to George and May Compton at home on a farm on Sunnyside Road in Kingston Township on Aug. 6, 1921, Helen was six when she moved with her parents and younger sister to a larger farm on Holmes Road in Storrington Township. 

On the day of the move, her father milked at the one farm in the morning and milked in the evening at the new farm after walking the cows to their new barn, several miles away. 

Neighbours with horses and wagons helped move all the family’s possessions in one-day.  During high school with the old party lines where you could hear other people’s rings, they would arrange to call one person at a certain time and all the friends would answer and they could plan a skating or sledding party. 

During the war, Helen worked as a secretary at ARMY headquarters in Kingston where she met her future husband, Jack.  After the war, they relocated from Camp Borden to Aurora with their three children: Judy, John, and Jane. A fourth child, Jim, was born in Aurora.  

In 1946, Judy turned the first light on at the farm when hydro arrived. Helen lived in Aurora for more than 50 years including several years after Jack died.

After a bad fall and hip replacement at 86, Helen moved back to the farm on Holmes Road where she was born and raised. She lived for 10 years with her son, John, and his wife, Shirley. When she required a higher level of care, Helen moved into Helen Henderson Care Centre in Amherstview. 

Family and friends, including Councillor Ron Sleeth from South Frontenac Township, gathered at a park on Lake Ontario on Aug. 6 to celebrate Helen’s birthday. 

She Facetimed her sister Freda in Cochrane Alberta and daughter Judy in Virginia during the party. She also received best wishes from the Queen, Governor General, Lieutenant Governor, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Premier, Township of South Frontenac, MP Scott Reid, and MPP Randy Hillier.  

During her 100 years, Helen has seen a lot of changes such as the lack of electricity, milking cows by hand and using horses, to where she Facetimes her sister 2,000 miles away.

What a life!

This article was written by John Williamson, Helen’s son. To learn more about living or working at Helen Henderson Care Centre, please call 613-384-4585.