Nan MacKean, who turned 105 years old on Monday, had a visit from her nieces, Debbie MacKean, left, of Calgary and Glenda MacKean, right, from Ottawa. MacKean was recently recognized as being the oldest living graduate of Pictou Academy.
The former Churchill resident celebrated her 105th birthday with family and friends at Valley View Villa, where she moved recently.
When asked to what she could attribute her good health and long life, MacKean said she there was no secret to her success.
“I have no secrets whatsoever,” she said. “I had a happy home, a happy family.”
MacKean, who moved to Valley View Villa in December, lived in her own home until that time and her mind is still sharp as a tack. Her family lived in Churchville and she went to the Eureka school for a time, but it didn’t go all the way to Grade 12 at that time, so her family made the decision to send her for schooling at Pictou Academy.
She was recently celebrated during the Pictou Academy 200 celebrations as being the oldest living graduate from the school.
She married Edgar MacKean, a neighbour she had dated for years, whom she called a “wonderful husband.”
“He was the best husband in the whole wide world,” she said Monday. The couple were married for more than 60 years.
The MacKeans operated service stations in Trenton and Stellarton. They were well known for having a German shepherd named Dusty who would carry the money from the customers at the pump into the store.
She said her true professional love was teaching students from grades Primary to 11 in one-room schoolhouses. She taught in Pictou Landing and sometimes she was responsible for as many as 70 students.
