CALGARY -- A socially distant, safe - but no less joyous - celebration was held in front of the Auburn Heights Retirement Center. Friday, when Hannah Brennan celebrated her 99th birthday surrounded, at distances of two metres or more, by family, friends and members from the Calgary Fire Department.
Brennan was all smiles and good cheer as the high rise fire truck extended its ladder to allow the firefighters to safely congratulate her on her milestone event.
Brennan said it was certainly a very strange occasion, but everyone also made it so nice.
“It’s really special," she said. "I certainly didn’t expect anything like that, it’s been a beautiful day. Everyone inside the house here and my family have been so good to me today.”
Brennan was at one time a buyer for Eaton’s, formerly one of Canada’s largest retailers. She said the job took her all over the world. “I was in 37 counties and had a lot of trips overseas, so I had an interesting life that way," she said.
Brennan would go on to eventually become the first female executive of the board of directors for Eaton’s.
When asked if she had any advice for younger generations, she asked, “Have you got an hour?” After a pause for laughter she condensed it down to the following: “Just work hard, be healthy and love the lord.”
