FALL RIVER: It was easy to see the impact that Isabel Wyatt had on people from the turnout at her 100th birthday celebration at the LWF Hall in Fall River on Sept. 16.

The response and crowd was such that it meant there was no room to move inside the hall for most of the two hour celebration, organized by the Catholic Women’s League (CWL).

“I can’t express my feelings,” said Isabel when asked about the crowd. “I’m so happy.

“It’s so wonderful to see everybody out here. I can’t thank everyone enough for coming out.”

PHOTOS: Isabel Wyatt’s 100th birthday celebrated

MLA Bill Horne jokes with Isabel about her resemblance to Her Majesty The Queen. (Healey photo)

Wyatt—who some dubbed the matriarch of Fall River—was presented with certificates recognizing the special day from Councillor Steve Streatch; MLA Bill Horne; and MP Darrell Samson, who brought red roses for Wyatt.

The birthday girl is one of the three people who led a march to see the province pave Fall River Road—back in the 1960s. Until then, it was just gravel.

There were so many people attending that there was a line out the front door to greet and give Isabel well wishes, while finding parking was hard to come by.

She spoke about the push to get the road paved—something that will be part of her legacy on the community she has called home for 58 of her 100 years.

“Three of us went all through Fall River with a petition and we succeeded,” she said. “I have a letter on the table up front from the government thanking us for it.”

Isabel is greeted by a friend and given well-wishes on her 100th birthday. (Healey photo)

Isabel said her 100 years there has been many changes—most notably the growth of the Fall River/Windsor Junction community.

“There’s so many houses now,” she said. “We were the first people down by the lake, and now it’s grown tremendously.”

As she hugged and thanked people for coming, she said she felt much older than she was.

“I feel like I’m 200 right now,” she said with a chuckle.

Isabel Wyatt receives a big hug from Spencer Knight at her 100th birthday celebration, put on by the CWL at the LWF Hall in Fall River on Sept. 16. There was a large crowd turn out for the special occasion which meant there was no room to move inside the hall for most of the two hour celebration. (Healey photo)

What has been key to her reaching 100?

“A glass of whiskey every day,” said Isabel with a smile.

MLA Horne also presented Wyatt with a framed certificate from Her Majesty The Queen recognizing her 100th birthday, while Samson had one from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for Wyatt.

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