Leader resident celebrates 106th birthday
By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Long time Leader resident, Sada Kiltau celebrated her 106th birthday on November 9th. Sada lives at the Western Senior Citizens Home in Leader. Her family hosted a big birthday celebration when Sada turned 100, but this year’s birthday celebration was a smaller affair due to the current regulations.
This lady has been very active throughout her life, which may have contributed to her longevity. She has volunteered in the community for more than seventy years and in 2002 was awarded the Volunteer of the Year award. Today Sada still enjoys being around other people.
Her daughter, Laurie Schneider remembered when they had given Sada a walker, but she wasn’t sure if her mom would use it. Later, when they asked her how she liked the walker she said “That thing is wonderful!” Sada likes to join the others for lunch and activities and is very talkative.
I can attest to Sada being talkative, because I first met her at a wedding celebration. We were lined up for the evening meal buffet when I felt someone behind me tap my shoulder. I turned around and looked down and there stood Sada with a huge smile on her face. She looked at me and said, “I’m 100!”
Although Sada is only 4 feet 8 inches in height, her daughter assures me that many of her great grandkids are taller than Sada and “lots more are waiting to get taller than her’’. But Sada tells them it’s not that hard to get taller than her.
In 2018 Sada was given the honour of doing the official cutting of the cake at the opening of the new Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility. Sada had moved into the Western Senior Citizens Home when she was 101 years of age. Laurie said the only reason she moved out of her own home was because her eyesight was failing.
Her family have fond memories of Sada in her home. Her grandson, Cameron Kiltau recalls, “I remember turning her hallway into a bowling lane and a sheet of curling ice, and she played those games with me all the time.” He also said she didn’t seem to mind when he drew bowling graphics on her wall, and she ended up having to repaint the wall.
When Sada lived in her own home, she spent many, many hours in her garden. “Gardening was her life!” Laurie said. For over 32 years she was busy growing and planting flowers at the Leader Hospital and clinic and donated flowers she had started to the Millennium Garden in Leader.
She also enjoyed crocheting and knitting, and donated sweaters to needy children. As well, Laurie said Sada “read an enormous amount of books”, something which she dearly misses since her eyesight has failed.
Sada was born in Luseland, Sask., and later became a nurse. She did her nurse’s training in Moose Jaw and graduated in March of 1938 as an RN. This was the same time when the notorious Al Capone was in that city. However she never got to see Al. “They wouldn’t let us out of the hospital when Al Capone was around,” she explained to her daughter.
Sada later worked as a nurse in Leader. “That’s how she met my dad,” Laurie explained. “He came in for surgery.” When Edwin joined the army and moved to B.C., Sada followed, working in Victoria as a nurse. Edwin and Sada were married in August of 1945.
Edwin died in 1999 at the age of 82 years. He had been in the senior’s home for about a year before his passing and Sada helped care for him every day. After her husband passed away, Sada continued to help at the home, dedicating countless volunteer hours, doing everything from folding laundry, playing cards and feeding the residents.
When she told Laurie, “I think I’m going to go up to the home and help those old people.” Laurie told her those old people were younger than she was. One gentleman at the home asked Sada “How old do you have to be to retire from working at this place?”
Sada may not be able to have all her family and friends gather together to celebrate her 106th birthday, but I’m sure many people who know her, and many people who don’t know her but hear about her birthday, join in wishing her a blessed and happy birthday.
