An Edmonton woman is celebrating a special birthday milestone on New Year’s Eve. Natalia Aseron is turning 100 years old.
Aseron, who lives in a north Edmonton nursing home, celebrated the day with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren along with decorations, a cake and a poster reading “Happy 100th birthday Lola Natalia…We love you!” Lola is Tagalog for grandmother.
“It’s amazing. I wish I could reach that age,” said granddaughter Karen Gamboa.
Aseron was born on Dec. 31, 1917 in Iloilo, Philippines. She moved to Batangas, Philippines in her mid-teens and her grandchildren say she was married young to a local politician.
She had two children but has outlived them. Aseron is the matriarch of the family – her husband died roughly 60 years ago. She moved to Canada in 1985. She has 16 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren in Canada, the U.S. and the Philippines.
“She planted a lot of vegetables and fruits in the backyard, so we always picked those vegetables and fruits with her and cooked them,” Gamboa.
“I always watched her cook because she loved cooking. Also I remember she loved to cook different Filipino dishes and I love it.”
Her family said her passions laid in gardening and up until two years ago, she lived alone in a condo with a caregiver. She moved to the nursing home in late 2015.
“She’s a very happy-go-lucky lady,” grandson Bong Aseron said.
Her grandchildren take turns visiting her in the nursing home and say she lives to watch her favourite show, The Price is Right.
They say there could be multiple reasons she has lived this long.
“I remember she likes eating fatty foods… She even smoked at her early age and she lived to this age. It’s pretty interesting.”
The family is planning a larger celebration with more relatives on Jan. 6.
Comments