CANORA — The question needs to be asked, “Is there something in the Canora water that leads to long, healthy lives?”
Long-time Canora resident Jean Zarazun celebrated her 100th birthday in November. Ruth Predy of Canora turns 100 tomorrow (December 24). Fred Krukoff, who ran a popular barber shop in Canora for decades, will celebrate his 100th birthday on Christmas Day. And as if that wasn’t enough, Polly Siminoff, who has lived in or near Canora almost her whole life, turns 102 on New Year’s Eve.
Polly Siminoff was born in Canora on December 31, 1919 to Mary Bonderff and George Zeeben, who were each of Doukhobor heritage and came to Canada from Russia as children.
In 1927 the Siminoff family moved out of Canora to a farm just north of Amsterdam.
“We were poor, but we had a lot of farming neighbours,” Polly said. “We all helped each other when we could, neighbours all working together. Nowadays the farms are larger, since smaller farmers moved out like we did.”
Polly continued her schooling at a country school a mile from the family farm. The children walked to school when it was nice outside and during winter their father took them by sleigh and horses.
After graduating from Grade 8 in 1936 she helped out around the farm for several years. In 1942 Polly moved to Winnipeg and worked for Jewish families for two years, doing the housework and looking after the children.
She moved back to Canora and worked as a clerk at a hardware/grocery store. Hancheroff”s grocery store was owned by Walter Hancheroff, and it was there she met her future husband Nick Siminoff in 1944, as he regularly visited the store to purchase supplies.
The couple was married on October 1, 1944 and had four children: Linda, Larry, Phil and Myra. Grandchildren are Lani and Alden (Larry’s children), and Alisha and Dana (Phil’s children). Great-grandchildren are Beau, 6, Esté, 4, and Neve, who recently celebrated her first birthday
Nick and Polly purchased the family farm in 1946. He delivered gas for a company for a year or two before getting into farming on a full-time basis. The family farmed without running water or power for a number of years.
“We got power in 1963 and it was a godsend,” Polly recalled. “We used coal oil less, got an electric washing machine and a fridge. With the fridge we were able to save a lot of food more. The children thought it was great, it was so appreciated.”
In 1983 Nick and Polly purchased a home in Canora, where she lives to this day. Nick passed away in 2013 and still lived in the house there until shortly before his death.
Polly maintains that her upcoming 102nd birthday feels “Just like 101. I’m still in my own home. I do my own cooking and cleaning, but home care brings me two meals a week, and I get help with taking a bath.”
She finds that the secret to living a long and healthy life is nothing complicated.
“I’ve always taken things day to day. If something went wrong, it was wrong and we accepted it. We enjoyed life and we knew our neighbours and school friends, too bad most of them are gone now. I didn’t drink or smoke, nor did my husband, that was a blessing.”
In recent years Polly has become an avid reader.
“I read a lot more than I used to. I like to read novels, and I also enjoy word searches. Previously there was no time for reading, I was busy with canning, cleaning, looking after the children. I used to go walking with my walker but I don’t do that any more, I’m afraid of falling.”
When others are enjoying New Year’s Eve festivities, Polly plans to celebrate her 102nd birthday with Chinese food and a number of family members.
