Icing on the cake for 102-year-old Anastasia Whalen of Round Lake Centre

Round Lake Centre resident Anastasia (Tessie) Whalen celebrates her 102nd birthday at home with a few friends today. Due to the pandemic travel restrictions, for the first time ever her son, David, and daughter, Celestine, who both live in Southern Ontario will not be here for her birthday and Mother’s Day. And the restrictions on gatherings of more than five people mean she will see far fewer friends and relatives than the crowds who attended a special Mass and filled the parish hall for a celebration meal at St. Casimir’s Church two years ago for her 100^th birthday on May 8, 2018. Above Anastasia Whalen (right) with Jenny Yakabuskie pose in front of Bennie Yakabuskie’s classic car. Photo Bennie Yakabuskie

But this has already been a special week for Mrs. Whalen. Although she is in good health and is well able to live on her own, doing much of the housekeeping and yardwork, Jenny Yakabuskie, her PSW, visits to help her out with certain tasks. Her son, David, says, “Her eyesight is bad now, but she wants to live at home alone.” When she wanted to go to the bank this week, Jenny agreed to drive her. At the last minute, Jenny discovered trouble with her car.

Enter Bennie Yakabuskie, Jenny’s father. Bennie “collects old cars,” says his daughter. Replace “old” with “classic” and you’d be nearer the mark. When they pulled up in a gleaming 1955 Ford Fairlane to take Mrs. Whalen to the bank, she was delighted. Bennie said she enjoyed the outing in a stylish car that was in production 65 years ago when she was just 37, and told her the trip was a birthday gift.

Tessie (Theresia) Mask, the second youngest of seven children of Frank Mask and Victoria Chapeski, was born at the family farm near Round Lake Centre on May 8, 1918. Her siblings have now all passed away. After attending SS #4 Hagarty & Richards school, she helped her parents on the family farm. In 1942 she married Lawrence Whalen and they moved to the Whalen family farm on Buck Hill Road where they lived for 20 years before moving to Round Lake Centre. The couple had two children, David (Jean) of Oshawa and Celestine (Syl) Mask of Whitby. Mrs. Whalen has two grandsons, Darryl and Kelvin Mask, and four great-grandchildren, Misha, Sarah, Jordan and Kyle Mask. Her husband passed away in 1985. As with many Valley residents, Mrs. Whalen has had a life of hard work which has likely contributed to her longevity and good health. Apart from cataract surgery and knee replacements, she remains in good physical condition. David said that when people ask his mother to what she attributes her long life, she tells them,

“All my life I ate salty pork and sauerkraut.”

Mrs. Whalen retains not just all her faculties but demonstrates a keen wit. Bennie Yakabuski teased her about her birthday, saying, “You know it’s going to snow?” Her reply:

“Well, that’s just the icing on my cake!”