Dolly Gibb celebrated with family at her 77 year-old daughter's home. She moved in with her daughter when she reached 100.
Photo Credit: (provided)

112th birthday for Canada’s senior Dolly Gibb

Ellen Gibb celebrated her 112th birthday this week. The woman known to loved-ones as ‘Dolly’ was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on April 26th, 1905.

Ellen ‘Dolly’ Gibb at the age of 18 in 1923, worked at Eaton’s until her marriage in 1928. © (provided)

Now Canada’s oldest senior, she has held the honour for over a year, since January 11, 2016.

On a global scale, Gibb is ranked the 42nd oldest person in the world, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

The oldest person is another woman who is 116.

Gibb’s grandson, Dave Crozier, 57, told CBC Sudbury‘s Up North radio show, that the family was getting together, with people coming from as far away as Colorado, and British Columbia to celebrate the occasion.

He recalled, that when a friend of his asked Gibb was there a time she’d like to repeat, she replied “now”.

Crozier says she is as sharp as she ever was, and has adapted and made changes over the years.

The ‘Dolly’ nick-name developed while working at the Eaton’s store in Winnipeg as a teenager, as a result of her sense of style.

It was a job she had to quit when she got married in 1928, as the store did not employ married women.

An LBD as it’s known now, was her standard attire, but the little black dress and pearls eventually gave way to wearing pants, when she was over 100.

She didn’t drink or smoke, but during her seventies, her daughter introduced her to the occasional scotch. Now a beer at 2 pm is a daily ritual.

Ahead of her time perhaps, Gibb always walked, and enjoyed cream and butter, which just recently was deemed not bad for our health.

Gibb spent most of her life in Thunder Bay, Ontario, as her family grew from two children, to nine grandchildren, to 22 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.

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