The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 23, 2015 | 16 Centenarian has dry wit and sense of humour by Bob Mitchell Oakville Beaver Staff Richard Chambres celebrated his 100th birthday on July 5 with a backyard party at his Oakville home. So what's his secret to longevity? "Not dying," Chambres said. He might be a tad slower these days now that he uses a walker, but the life-long Oakvillian still drives and even cooks his own meals. His wit is also as sharp as ever. "I don't drive too much in the winter. If there's snow on the road I stay in the garage because there are too many nuts on the road today -- and I don't want to join them," Chambres said. "In the summer, I stop for coffee and then go down to the lake on the west pier and sit there and meet two or three friends down there. Sometimes I drive out to Bronte. That's about as far as I go." Chambres still does his own cooking. A lot has happened over the past century since Chambres began driving his Model T Ford a few years before he actually had a licence and could legally drive at age 16. "I've had a lot of cars, but all I've ever driven was a Ford," Chambres said. "I remember when I nally went to do my test, the guy knew I had been driving for a long time. He asked me to drive him down to my uncle's store for some cigarettes so I did and when I drove him back he gave me my real licence." As a young lad he remembers getting $10 from his mother to go Richard Chambres cuts the cake as he celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends. Pictured clockwise, from left, Trish Chambres (seated), Ron Cooper, Gwen Cornish, Ted Cooper, Bill Chambres, Jackie McNay, Pam Pallister and Jean Bell (seated in front.) | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog to Loblaws to buy food for the entire week. "You can't come anywhere close to that today," he said. "And that included a 24lb. bag of our." These days when he drives downtown to go to the bank he usually parks in the funeral home. "I like to get there early to avoid the crowds," he said. But seriously Richard, how come you're so spry at 100? "I just take every day as it comes," he said. "I've always said to myself, `Don't worry, it might never happen.'" Chambres' health remains pretty good for someone who was born in 1915. He wakes up every day just after 5 a.m. and usually is in bed by 9:30 p.m. "I used to walk a lot," said the Oakville native, who began using a walker a few years ago after he fractured his pelvis in a fall. "Last year I used to go up to the end of the street and back, but now if I can make myself walk, I can go about halfway." He also used to spend a lot of time in his garden. "I still try, but I don't make out as well as I used to," he said. "I used to like planting and growing my tomatoes. I still do and I've been doing it in this house for the last 60 years." Chambres grew up on the north end of Reynolds Street in what was then known as Trafalgar Township. He attended Brantwood and Central public schools, both of which have since closed. After graduating from Oakville Trafalgar High School, he attended a business college in Toronto. see Chambres on p.25 GOLD FAMILY, COSMETIC & IMPLANT DENTISTRY New Patients & Emergencies Welcome · Cleaning & & Check-ups Check-ups · White Fillings Fillings · White · Crown, Bridge, · Root Canals Root Canals · Crown & Bridge · Digital X-Rays · Implants · Braces/Invisalign · Braces/Invisalign · Dentures, Implants · Dentures Gum Treatment · Gum Wisdom Teeth Removal Treatment · Laughing Gas/Sedation · Wisdom Teeth Removal · Intra Oral Camera · Laughing Gas/Sedation (you see what we see) Trafalgar Rd. Leaky Basement? Call Us! · Crack Injection Repair Specialist · Wise Dry Interior Drain Systems · Lifetime Fully Transferrable Warranty · Masonry/Parging Repairs "Letourfamilytakecareofyours" Mon-Wed 10-7 Thursday 10-5 Mon, Wed & Thurs 10-7 Friday 10-3 Tues, Fri 10-4; Sat 9-3 Saturday 9-3 330 Dundas St. East, Oakville Open Evenings & Saturdays Dundas St. E. Longo's Call Us... 905-510-9739 905-257-3182 www.klerdental.ca Professional, Cost Effective Solutions for Wet wayne@wisecracks.com Basements w w w. H a l t o n Wi s e C ra c k s. co m NOW AVAILABLe! Free SHIPPING eVerY DAY to any of 1300+ catalogue pick-up locations or to your home or office, almost anywhere in Canada. Some restrictions apply. See catalogue or sears.ca for details. Enjoy shopping from the comfort of your home 24/7. FreSH FALL STYLe CATALOGUes 2015 Pick up your Free copies at any Sears catalogue location or view them online at sears.ca/FreshFallStyle Follow us @SearsCA Connect with Sears Canada NP50/51-728 © Sears Canada Inc., 2015. All rights reserved.