Photo Credit: Patsy Wachter

By Shane Clausing

102nd birthday

Ontario woman on pandemic-lengthened Grande Prairie visit turns 102

Feb 26, 2021 | 5:30 AM

Thelma Surerus of Roseneath, Ontario is celebrating her birthday in Grande Prairie for the second time in the last year and a half.

Thelma turns 102 Friday and has nine children, 20 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren, and five bonus grand/great-grandchildren.

Patsy Wachter is one of Thelma’s daughters and says what turned out to be a quick trip to Grande Prairie to see her children, turned into a lengthy stay for her mother.

“She had come out here to visit because she has two sons out in Fort St. John and a son in Chetwynd. Her (101st) birthday was on the 26th of February (2020), so the family had a big party for her.”

Shortly after Thelma’s birthday, the COVID-19 pandemic got more and more serious by the day and Patsy and Thelma agreed it would be best for Thelma to remain in Grande Prairie until the worst of the pandemic was over.

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“It was at the point where you were quarantined and you just couldn’t get back, and for her age, it wasn’t safe for her to go back,” said Patsy.

While COVID-19 numbers had gone down over the summer, the virus was still a threat for Thelma, so she has remained in Grande Prairie for the last year and a bit.

While she hasn’t been able to do much, Thelma says she’s doing her best to keep busy.

“I’ve been doing all sorts of things to keep me limbered up. I’m practicing my foot peddling because I’m practicing on walking back to Ontario,” joked Thelma.

Now that Thelma has spent a year in the Swan City, she says while Grande Prairie is nice in the summer, it’s not the same as Ontario. She joked that the land is too flat, and the winters are cold. She adds she misses the hills in Roseneath.

For Thelma’s birthday, Patsy has planned a tea party with some family members, as well as taking lots of phone and video calls from family in Ontario.

Thelma says she didn’t think she’d make it until the age of 102, and adds she doesn’t have a particular secret as for why she’s been able to live for so long.

“I just go along every day,” said Thelma.

Thelma is hopeful she’ll be able to get back to Ontario relatively soon. Her first priority, however, is getting her COVID-19 vaccine.

Patsy says everyone in her family has a tremendous amount of respect for Thelma and the life she’s lived and wishes her a Happy Birthday.

“Everyone looks up to her and treats her with great respect because she actually is our queen.”