Elder celebrated at 104

Last Thursday, Mary Paul celebrated a belated birthday at Kateri Memorial Hospital Center (MHC), where Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo and Council chief Arnold Boyer presented her with a gift and a certificate acknowledging her as the oldest community member in Kahnawake.

Paul, who turned 104 in June, was joined in the celebration at KMHC by staff and members of her family, including her daughter, Roberta Duhaime.

“Mentally, she’s unbelievable,” said Duhaime. “There’s no problem with her acuity. She’s very smart, she’s snappy and witty.”

Until last year, Paul still lived at home, said Duhaime. That’s when they started to see that her mother seemed to be the oldest person in town.

First, the person in charge of snow removal for elders told Duhaime that her mother was the oldest person using the service. The same thing was said by the at-home care provider from the Elder’s Lodge that came to see Paul on a regular basis.

Finally, when Paul transitioned to in-hospital care, she was confirmed the oldest at the hospital after the passing of another elder.

The Eastern Door was lucky enough to visit Paul at KMHC this week and, with Duhaime, spoke with Paul of her childhood in Kahnawake, before she moved to Brooklyn at age 18.

She lived in a stone house, now on River Road in front of the Moose Lodge - that house is still there, said Duhaime.

Paul remembered her times swimming in the St. Lawrence River, long before the advent of the Seaway in the 1950s. Every day that she could, she would cool off in the river swimming with friends, family, neighbours, anyone who wanted to join in for a swim.

She also remembered her father walking from town to Lachine on the railway bridge to go to work every day. There were almost no cars then, mostly horses and buggies. Even bicycles were a rare occurrence.

Like many in town, her family had animals in a barn - her and her sister Monica’s job was milking cows in the afternoon and fetching them after her swims.

Arnold Boyer said that when his mother passed away last year, he was in the hospital and took notice of the age of some of the patients. He kept in mind that the MCK should acknowledge them when they reach milestone birthdays - turning 100 or becoming the oldest in town.

“They should be exalted, and celebrated,” said Boyer. Paul was supposed to be celebrated with another patient at KMHC who had just turned 100, but they unfortunately passed away a week before the celebration. Instead, the gift was presented to their granddaughter.

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