Selma Tustian celebrates her 100th birthday

Centenarian Selma Tustian
C. Davis photos

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Selma Tustian celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday afternoon, March 2 with a drop-in tea party at Vista Village, where she resides. Selma taught grade 1 at Livingstone School for many years and has been a resident of this area for most of her life.  Consequently, the party room was packed with family, friends, and well-wishers.

According to Susan Gregory, who acted as MC for the event, Selma Tustian was born Selma Wood.  She grew up in various southern Alberta communities and attended school in Calgary.  She then taught in one room schools and married Arthur Tustian of Cowley.  Together they raised three daughters (Barbara, Pat and Joyce).  Selma has 10 grand children and 12 great-grand children.

Selma's great-granddaughter Emma Coley started the entertainment program with a beautiful rendition of "You Raise Me Up".  Jessica Boyd then wowed everyone with her heartbreakingly beautiful violin playing.

Congratulatory messages were read from the Queen, Premier Redford, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Donald Ethell, Prime Minister Harper, and Governor General of Canada David Johnston.  More music followed, with the crescendo being a large family choir singing "When There's Love at Home", a capella at first and then with piano accompaniment.

"Grandma, we would like to say Happy Birthday, and this would be a good time to sing Happy Birthday," somebody said, and we did.  Then Selma ceremonially cut the birthday cake, one of the very few to make it into the centenarian ranks.