ESTEVAN — Blanche Keating experienced a lot in her life.
She was born on Christmas Day in 1917 – nearly a year before the end of the First World War. She had memories of the Roaring '20s, the Great Depression and the Second World War, and she saw all of the changes in the world since that time.
Blanche died of natural causes on July 11 at the age of 107.
Speaking with SaskToday, her son Kevin marvelled at how sharp his mother was until she died.
"Pretty well everyone was just amazed by her, because every anniversary, every birthday, every confirmation – anything you wanted to know, every phone number, she had it up in her head. She never went to a phone book and looked it [a number] up. That was her biggest asset was her mind," Keating said.
Even towards the end of her life, Blanche was reading two or three books a week, he said. At the age of 100, Kevin said she was still on the phoning committee for Pro-Life Estevan and Area. And she was always on her iPad to keep up on news, sports and other happenings; Kevin believes she could use the device better than 90 per cent of people.
A sharp mind is why Kevin believes she was able to live for so long. Blanche was still living in her home on First Street when she turned 100 in 2017; a home that she and her husband Francis purchased for $6,500. And Kevin noted it was her decision to move into Creighton Lodge in 2018, but only because her legs were starting to give her problems.
Blanche loved the experience at Creighton Lodge and later the Estevan Regional Nursing Home.
"She kept saying that she was so blessed because the people that were in there treated her so well," said Kevin.
When she was at the lodge, she started a club in which she read to some of the people whose eyesight was deteriorating.
"She was an extremely hard worker. I think that was a part of it. She had 11 kids, she had 37 grandchildren and 60 great-grandchildren. So, she kept really active, and I think that was a big part of why she lived so long. She was always active."
Last year she flew to Ottawa to attend the wedding of a great-grandson.
Blanche was a teacher for a lot of years, and Kevin said she likely taught Grade 1 to many of the people from the Estevan area who are of a certain age. It's one of the ways she became known so well in the community. She was also busy with the Catholic Women's League, and her involvement with St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church and Pro-Life Estevan and Area.
Kevin noted his mother helped bring a pro-life chapter to Estevan and established the cookie parade fundraiser each year. He added his mother was very charitable and always wanted to help those in the developing world.
The community support since his mother's passing has been "tremendous", he said. A lot of people have commented and called him to express their condolences.
"Mom was known for many, many years, and a lot of people knew her," said Kevin.
Blanche was healthy until a few weeks ago, he said. She suffered from a urinary tract infection, and her health deteriorated from there.
Kevin said he was going to start his eulogy with the word "amazing", in part because people told him how amazing she was.
Keating was raised in the Weyburn area. She moved to Estevan in 1960 with her husband and their children after she accepted a teaching job at the former St. John's School. She retired in 1982 and enjoyed travelling after she retired, visiting family members spread throughout the country, and even went to Europe.
A prayer service will be held July 24 at 7 p.m. The funeral mass will be celebrated July 25 at 1 p.m. Both services will happen at St. John the Baptist.
