Airdrie resident Ivan Clendenan is a few days away from having lived a century. He will be turning 100 years old on Monday, August 28. Unbeknownst to him, his family, some of whom are flying in from across the country - are planning to celebrate the centenary of his birth this weekend.
Born and raised in Rocanville, Saskatchewan, Clendenan moved to Alberta decades ago. He is described by his niece, Jackie Scheiber, as a fiercely caring and headstrong man. Even when he was in his late 70's and into his 80's, his daughter-in-law, Joanne Scheiber, said he was always ready to help.
"He came and helped us do the flooring in our house and paint. He was always there when you needed his help. He would give anybody his shirt off his back," Joanne Scheiber said. "A very big heart when it comes to helping people."
When Clendenan did move to Alberta, he settled in Calgary and then moved to Didsbury and then to Airdrie. Along the way, he would work for Rocky View County for nearly three decades. Both Jackie and Joanne said that Clendenan was a very hard worker. He was a man who loved his family and had a passion for horses.
Joanne remarked that her father-in-law's passion for horses didn't wane even as he got older.
"He rode for about 27 years in the Calgary Stampede. He won numerous, numerous awards in the Stampede for being best dressed. His main passion is horses and his favourite colour is red - he always had a red vehicle."
Though Joanne and Jackie didn't see much of him when they were young, Jackie said one of her earliest memories of her uncle, was when he and his first wife bought her a gift when she moved to Alberta.
"My uncle and his first wife, Aunt Bernice, bought me a cowboy hat and a pair of boots and I had a red dress on and I'll never forget that one."
Both Jackie and Joanne also observed the passage of time not only through a milestone birthday for Clendenan but also by reminiscing how the world has changed around them. Clendenan was born in 1923, four years before the Ford Model T - now regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile was launched. During his younger days, a bottle of beer was priced at 15 cents, while a pack of cigarettes was 10 cents.
As far as affairs of the heart go, both Joanne and Jackie said that Clendenan has maintained one cardinal rule: to be open, honest and communicative - something that has served him well as he had been with his first wife for five decades before she passed away. His second wife and he have been together for over 20 years - and they continue to be together, living in a Senior's Complex in Airdrie.
But the question remains: Is there a secret to living to be 100 years old and does Clendenan know it?
"He always has potatoes. Don't give him meat with potatoes - just potato with a little bit of butter and a piece of meat," Jackie said.
Joanne added that no matter what, her father-in-law has and continues to keep active.
"He always had something to do, even if it was polishing his tools or his harnesses. He just always kept himself very busy and walked. He loves to walk - he still walks to this day without a walker."
Airdrie's 2023 census, which was conducted earlier this spring, noted that from over 80,000 residents, only 15 individuals in the city were recorded as being 100 years or older.
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