Sex, dancing and love are the key ingredients to a long life, says a 91大黄鸭 woman who celebrated her 100th birthday Saturday.

鈥淚n a way, I think 100-years-old is living too long 鈥� it鈥檚 OK to live that way if you鈥檙e rich and very healthy, otherwise it鈥檚 the pits,鈥� said Fernande Bertrand, who lives at The Dorchester in 91大黄鸭.

鈥淏ut maybe, I lived that long because maybe I did it my way,鈥� she said. 鈥淓verything I did in my life I did with fun and love and joy. Every day I was happy, I love life, I love children, I love family.鈥�

To Bertrand, sex is the number one secret to longevity.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how people do it, have no love and no sex in their life鈥� if you don鈥檛 like one boyfriend you get another one if you don鈥檛 like one husband then get another one,鈥� she said.

Bertrand has always been energetic, said granddaughter Lisa Calvert.

鈥淚 was 89 years old when I moved to Quebec City for five months and there was a big dance and music and everything,鈥� said Bertrand.

She danced until early in the morning.

Living in Ottawa for most of her life, she was married to George Bertrand for 30 years and had six children. A resident of 91大黄鸭 for more than 20 years, Bertrand was born in Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Quebec in 1918 and worked as a nanny for rich politicians in the 鈥�60s in Ottawa. She also volunteered with Children鈥檚 Aid Society, caring for babies.

鈥淚 loved to give love and get love, I think in life that鈥檚 really the thing. In life that鈥檚 how it is, I don鈥檛 care if it鈥檚 sexually or not,鈥� she said.

Bertrand moved to the Central Okanagan in the 1990s for the warmer climate and to be with family. She volunteered at the Seniors Outreach for more than 10 years.

鈥淪he helped older people and she was already in her 鈥�80s,鈥� said daughter Lucy Anderson. 鈥淪he was basically a teenage 80-year-old.鈥�

Bertrand also travelled to Spain for four or five months to meet her companion after her husband passed.

鈥淲e鈥檇 dance on the street when I think of that鈥� we were so free,鈥� said Bertrand 鈥淚 had so much energy I didn鈥檛 know what to do with it鈥� If I don鈥檛 spend that with dancing, I鈥檇 spent it with some boyfriend.鈥�

They kept each other young and had a good time together, said her son Marcel Bertrand.

She was also active in the 91大黄鸭 community. Bertrand admired 91大黄鸭鈥檚 former mayor Walter Grey, who installed a bus stop for her after she phoned his office.

鈥淗e took time for me and called me back and told me the (stop) was going to be delayed, as if I was someone very important,鈥� she said.

Unafraid of controversy, she wrote letters to the newspapers in 91大黄鸭.

鈥淚 usually talk, express myself the way I think鈥� honesty, maybe that鈥檚 why they published (them),鈥� she said.

Bertrand鈥檚 family, many of whom live in the Central Okanagan, attended her birthday, Jan. 27

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carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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