Skip to content

Oldest resident passes away at 105

The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.

The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.

Flin Flon is mourning the passing of its oldest resident, Evelyn Constable, who died February 14 at the age of 105. Following a life that spanned 11 separate decades, Constable is remembered as a kind, generous woman whose positive outlook and zest for life were contagious. Born in Rat Portage (now Kenora), Ontario, on November 10, 1903, she was among the few true Flin Flon pioneers left. In 1919, she moved with her family to The Pas. By the late '20s she had settled into Cranberry Portage with her husband, the late Fred Constable, who worked with Public Works Canada. The couple lived in a log cabin and spent their winters on the trapline. As the quintessential outdoor types, that suited them just fine. But things wouldn't always be so rosy. In 1929, their cabin was right in front of the infamous forest fire that devastated Cranberry Portage. The massive blaze wasn't enough to drive the Constables out of town, but the Great Depression was. In the late '30s, after Fred's work dried up, they moved to Flin Flon, where he worked at HBMS. Although they developed a special place in their hearts for Flin Flon, the Constables never forgot Cranberry Portage. In 1950, they opened Constable's Lakeside Lodge on the shore of Lake Athapap. Summers at the lodge were like paradise, and remained that way even after Fred passed away in 1971, when Evelyn and her ever-growing family continued the operation. Evelyn remained sharp and active in her latter years. Shortly before her 102nd birthday, she accepted on behalf of the lodge the Business Award at the 2005 Celebrating Communities Gala co-sponsored by the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce. She lived in her own home on Green Street until the age of 103. When she moved into the Personal Care Home, she was quick to make friends among the staff and residents. Last November, Evelyn spoke to The Reminder about her lengthy life, though she was unable to explain her longevity. "I don't know. It's all in the hands of fate," she said with a gentle laugh. "It all depends on fate, whoever that is."

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks