When he turned 105, Fort Erie, Ontario, resident Burdett Sisler told his son Norman that his goal was to live to be 110.
“It was a bit skeptical,” Norman said.
But on April 13, Burdett fulfilled its goal. Now, the supercennial hopes that it will reach 2030.
“Maybe I can endure,” Burdett told CBC Hamilton, laughing. “It’s something to expect.”
Burdett uses a wheelchair and has some difficulties to see and listen, but “it makes it work” and, otherwise, it is healthy for its age, so “there is no reason why you cannot live until 2030,” Norman said.
The Sisler family says that, so they can see in their investigation, Burdett is the oldest living man in Canada, a Border Services Agency of Canada (CBSA) in a Facebook post that wishes him a happy birthday.
Burdett worked for the agency after the war as an appraiser at the Pace Bridge entrance port in Fort Erie from 1949 to 1979.
He was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1915. His family moved to Toronto in 1918 to open a tire factory, where Burdett finally worked.
Burdett married in 1939, a few days after Great Britain declared war on Germany. He enlisted and traveled to Nueva Scotia to train at that time.
“He never came abroad or there is a good possibility that he is not here,” Norman said. Burdett worked for the army after the war before starting his customs work.
Supercente
His wife died 40 years ago and retired 45 years ago, but Burdett remained active and participated in his retirement following the news, calling Bingo and working with adult literacy groups, Norman said. Burdett also led until he turned 100.
“To quote my wife, ‘he keeps young,” said Norman, 75.
The family helped him live in his own home until about three years ago, taking shifts during the first years of the pandemic to ensure that he had support.
Burdett has five children, 11 grandchildren, 22 great -grandchildren and 14 great -grandchildren, for family counting. He has seen two world wars, two pandemics and two solar eclipses.
Due to the worsening of the view, Burdett said that he does not read as much as he used to do it, but he still likes to read magazines to “keep up with the world”, something that recommends that everyone do, despite the fact that this can be a “horrible” task in these days since “many things happen they should not be happening.”
During his life, the world has “changed beyond recognition,” Burdett said.
“It was a sensible place to be at the same time. When I look at the news and climate, everything seems to be out of place. No one seems to think about the other person. Just think of himself and how much money can grab.”
Burdett said that, as far as he is concerned, “everything they do” and that you must treat people in the way you would like to be treated.
Norman said it is the advice that his father always gave when he was growing, as well as finishing food on his plate, something Burdett does to this day.
On April 11, some 250 people gathered in Fort Erie’s legion for a birthday party for Burdett. Among them were about 60 family and politicians, including the mayor of Fort Erie, Wayne Redekop, Seniors Minister and Ontario Accessibility, Raymond Cho and MPP Wayne Gates.
Norman said an honor guard played bagpipes when he and Burdett entered. Later, the guests sang Happy Birthday And Burdett blew the candles in a cake.
“I never thought I would see such a big crowd to see a person,” said Burdett. “It was incredible.”
