6 ~ Wednesday, January 4, 1989 - North Shore News INSIGHTS Anna’s secret — get a kick out of life! THE GRAND OLD LADY thought to have been the North Shore’s most senior senior has finally left us. Last week’s sad news was the death, Dec. 27, of Anna Willcox — 11 days short of her 107th birthday. Born Anna Wiprud in Norway, she arrived in the U.S. around the age of six with her parents and two sisters. Moving to Winnipeg in 1905, she married Ted Willcox, an English immigrant, and eight years later the couple came to settle here on the North Shore, where she liv- ed for the past 75 years — starting out in a tent on the North Van waterfront until they got their first home. Ted, who died in 1959, worked for many years for the CPR and later had his own greengrocery store at Lonsdale and Windsor. I was at her 104th birthday party in Inglewood Lodge. Though hard of hearing, she was bubbling with THREE-WA’ CELEBRATION...Noordin Somji fun, sipping champagne with gusto and cracking one-liners that even Bob Hope might have envied. She looked and sounded like someone who was still getting a big kick out of a life that had brought its full share of problems and hard work as weil. Four years into her second century, she was one of the most reassuring sights this apprentice senior has seen — and though An- na’s party is now over at last, that’s how Pi long remember her. eee GAME ‘N SET DEPT.: Mature (i.e. over 55) tennis enthusiasts are gearing up for the full spring and summer program developed by Phote submitied (right) and wis Gulshan with grandchildren Rafiq and Afsheen. J Beat blues ANUARY JIS a bleak month. Gone are the ce'+brations of the December holidays and New Year’s Day. No more long weekends until Easter. It’s time to lose weight, stop smoking, be a better person...and pay the bills. their newly formed Seniors Tennis Association of the North Shore. North and West Van Rec Depart- ments are cooperating to assign public courts for organized play throughout the outdoor season, and STA planning will ensure that the group’s now more than 90 members should have no difficulty in getting regular games at their own level, and at convenient times, from March through next fall. But winter pluy is still a problem. The Association had hoped to utilize unused covered courts at private clubs in ‘‘off prime time™’, but have found none available this winter. So now, the STA is lobby- ing the three municipalities to pro- vide a public winter tennis facility at an affordable cost to players — citing public tennis ‘‘bubbles’’ in the Victoria area which are one of the few municipal programs there to pay their way. Annual STA dues are $10. Cail Jim Price, 922-9690, Pat Stansfield, 987-1723, or Waring Pentland, 987-2810, for all the details. eee TAIL PIECES: So the latest ploy by West Van council in the “Fawlty Towers’ soap opera is !o seek a court ruling on whether the 98-year renewable-option lease for that 320 Taylor Way project — grauted by last year’s counci] — breached the Municipal Act. Five re-eiected council members out of today’s seven having okayed the deal last May, it reminds one a lit- tle of the lady who finally visited the doctor in her eighth month to check whether she was pregnant ... And it was three festive occasions rolled into one last Saturday, Dec. 31, for North Van accountant wednesday world ¢ ane i Noordin Somji and his wife Gulshan, Lynn Valley residents for the past 14 years. A family party with children, spouses and grand- children celebrated Noordin’s and Gulshan’s 38th wedding anniver- sary, toasted Noordin on his bir- thday and — all on the same even- ing — welcomed the New Year in! ote WRIGHT OR WRONG: Pessimists live happier lives than optimists — all their surprises are pleasant ones! Photo submitted HELPING PLANT A “MONEY TREE" at the Registered Nurses Association offices...West Van's Elizabeth Kirkwood (right) with RNABC president Sue Rothwell. Tree symbolizes growth of RNABC bursary fuad for nursing students. And the rain! There is no relief from West Coast precipitation for at least another three months. Short, grey days. A return to monotony. But buck up. The 31 days of January don’t have to be miserable. Think of the alternatives. We don’t have to suffer the Jamuary deep-freeze presently being expe- rienced in the rest of Canada. The landscape is still green. Snowdrops and crocus are only weeks away. Heck, spring is within our grasp. And with spring days ahead, we want to enjoy them. Breathe in the fresh scents with unpolluted lungs; run through the daffodiis with a slim and trim body. What better way to become a better person? And while we save money by dieting, exercising and Publisher Peter Speck e_eesereperenememcee Display Advertising 980-0511 not buying cigarettes think of the extra cash at hand. Managing Editor = Barrett Fisher Nossa Ravertsing opeotat These Christmas bills will be gone in a flash! No more Associate Editor Noel Wright Distnoution 986-1337 debt Advenising Director Linda Stewart b . Subscriptions 986-1337 . North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent “UNDAY " WEOMESDAY = Fmpay Fax 985-3227 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, January...what a wonderful month. But hurry, there North Vancouver, B.C are only 28 days left to enjoy it! subuIDan Newspaper and qualihed under Scnedute V1, Paragraph Il of the Excise Tas Act. 15 published each Wednesday. Foday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid and arstributed lo every dour on ine Noth = V7M 2H4 Snore Second Chiss Mail Registtalion Nutnber 3885 Subseniphons North and West Vancouver, $75 perysar 99,170 (average. Wednesday Mashing files available on request Submissions ae welcome Gul we cannot accept respunsibikty lor Friday é Sunday) ~ unsolicited matecal inctuding manuscnpts and pictures s which should be accompanied by 4 Stainped, addressed enveloge MEMBER sm & SOA DIVISION North Shore owned and managed Entire contents © 1989 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved.