Marie Gaudet Ford at 102:
Friends mean a great deal
Margaret Patricia Eaton
for nearly 20 years, in the credit department. People
“We love her to the moon and back,” says Peggy Gaudet,
didn’t always pay their bills and I’d chase them,” Marie
speaking of her mother, Marie Ford.
recalls. She remembers some interesting Newfoundland
Adds son Paul Gaudet, “And so does anyone who’s met
customers who ordered through the catalogue. “They
her. When she was in the hospital the nurses loved her
were quite poor but very honest.” When the catalogue
because she never complains, even if she’s in pain. She
has an upbeat, positive spirit, she’s absolutely incredible.” department closed in 1976, she continued working as
secretary to Don McIvor, Eaton’s Atlantic Region credit
“Our Mum has gone through many
department head.
struggles,” Peggy continues. “She’s
“Then I retired, and I just ran around
lost her mother and father; her two
and had a good time,” she laughs.
sisters (including one who died at
“I skated two and three times a
age 14 from spinal meningitis); her
week, snow-shoed, curled, went
brother killed in World War II at the
cross-country skiing. I did a lot of
Battle of Ortona, two husbands and
winter stuff with friends.” After
her son who died at age 52 from a
being widowed for 13 years, she was
heart attack. She has such an attitude,
married again to Lloyd Ford who
she takes everything in stride and
died at age 93.
nothing seems to faze her, or if it
Her one regret is she didn’t do a
does, she just gets on with her life.”
great deal of travelling. She would
Marie was born Margaret Marie
have liked to visit her brother’s
Haley on September 29, 1916, in
grave in Italy; but she did travel
Chatham and moved as an infant to
across Canada several times to visit
Marie
Gaudet
Ford
celebrated
her
Moncton where her father worked
102nd birthday on September 29, 2018.
her aunt in Vancouver. “She wanted
as an engineer at the Humphrey
Photo Credit: PAUL GAUDET
me to live there and I liked to visit
Woolen Mill.
but I didn’t want to stay because my family and friends
After graduating with the last class from Aberdeen High
were all here.”
School in 1934, she took a business course and worked for
She’s lived at Parkland Estates in Riverview for 17 years,
five years at Moncton City Hospital. Next came marriage
where she’s made more friends, reconnected with a friend
to Rudy Gaudet and children: twins Peggy (Moncton)
from her high school class, attends activities that interest
and Patsy (Smith Falls, ON), Carl (deceased) and Paul
her and plays bridge, which she learned late in life.
(Moncton). She has five grandchildren and five great-
Advice for living a long and healthy life? “Friends mean
grandchildren, as well as step daughter-in-law, Marian
a great deal. If you didn’t have friends, you’d be awfully
Ford, who Peggy says,
lonely. And try to take things easy. Take what comes and
“is wonderful to her and visits all the time.”
handle it that day.”
“When the kids started school, I went to work at Eaton’s
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