Former nurse still helping others in Scarborough

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With a life that's taken her from Guyana to London, Nigeria, Paris and finally Canada, Stella George has amassed enough experiences for multiple lifetimes.

She added a few more memorable experiences last weekend as she celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at not one, but three birthday parties. It's only fitting she have multiple parties as, according to some records, she has multiple birthdays.

"They have my date as the fourth and my baptismal certificate as the fifth so I guess I was born at midnight," she said.

Surrounded by family who came from England, Florida, New Jersey, and several other states, George got the partying started at the St. Paul's L'Amoreaux Centre on Friday, July 4.

Bruce Orford, her great nephew, came from New Jersey to speak on behalf of the family. He said they were very proud of George, and listed off some of the accomplishments she was too humble to reveal herself, including her promotion to officer of the Order of the British Empire.

For a woman born in 1908, George didn't live the typical life of her generation. She was one of nine children born in what was then called British Guyana. The second youngest, George lost her mother when she was just a toddler and her father died during the flu pandemic of 1918.

In 1927 she became a nurse and midwife and moved to England shortly thereafter. In 1935 she married Joseph George and they had two children. George and her husband moved to Nigeria where she worked as part of the British overseas nursing service. She went on to teach nurses and started domiciliary services for women in Africa. Her husband died in 1960 and upon her retirement in 1965, George set out to fulfill a childhood dream of moving to France.

"The Paris I loved so long," she said. "I felt so happy there."

She received a French degree from the Sorbonne and also taught during her 10 years in Paris. She loved it.

"The cultural life, the shows, everything," she said.

She then spent 10 years in Spain before moving to Scarborough in 1985.

"When I came to Canada everyone said in 10 years she'll be gone, but I'm still here," George said. With so many members of her extended family living in North America, she thought she'd join them. She moved to St. Paul's and immediately became an active member of the community.

She started a Bible study group and volunteers as a wing aid giving security checks to neighbours, a fire warden, a meals on wheels visitor and a friendly visitor.

"I'm always very busy," she said.

Her son, Aubrey George, 72, came from London, England to celebrate his mother's birthday. He said he and his mother have always remained close regardless of the distance between them through the years.

"Throughout my life it didn't matter if she was in Nigeria, St. Vincent or Spain, she always kept in touch," he said, adding he has letters from her from all over the world.

Despite that closeness, he isn't privy to her secret to a long and healthy life.

"I want to know how do you get to 100. She hasn't told me," he said. "I don't see her doing any exercise. I don't see her on a treadmill."

For George, it seems the Bobby McFerrin formula to happiness rings true.

"Don't worry. That is what kills people, worry," she said. "I never worry."