Friends and neighbours gathered in Trail last week to celebrate Irene Aurelio’s 100th birthday.
Born Jan. 7, 1923 in Manchester England, Irene has certainly led a very full and interesting life.
She was a British “war bride” having married John Aurelio in England in 1945. (The term “war bride” refers to the estimated 48,000 young women who met and married Canadian servicemen during the Second World War.)
The young couple then moved to Canada the following year (1946), settled into a home in Montrose, and later had one daughter.
After John passed away in 1991, Irene met and married Harold Smith, in Trail, in 1993.
They were happily married until Harold passed away in 2020.
Besides being a top-notch seamstress - Irene sewed all the gowns in her daughter’s wedding party — she also became an accomplished artist.
Her paintings are seen in Canada, Australia, California and England.
Many may recall Irene from her long-time place of employment, the former Crown Point Hotel, where she worked for 25 years as administrator.
Now a grandmother to three and great grandmother to six, Irene still lives on her own and remains a very active and cherished person in the Trail community.
Happy Birthday Irene!