The Secret to Long Life
Many people wonder about the secret to living a long life. But how can you make sure that your life is both long and happy?
After 108 years on this planet, Esmond Allcock has some advice for all of us. He says the secret to living a long and happy life is to pick the right spouse. (1)
“I didn’t behave myself for a few years there, but then I got a really good wife,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). (1)
Allcock is from Kerrobert, Saskatchewan. He turned 108 on January 26, 2018, and passed away just a few months later on March 22. He was one of the oldest living men in Canada. (1, 2)
Allcock and his wife Helen were married for 72 years. She passed away seven years before Allcock did. He continued to live alone in their home for a short time before deciding to move into the Kerrobert Health Centre. (1)
Honored and Beloved
Described in his obituary as having “maintained his good nature and storytelling,” Allcock was beloved by the employees at the health center. They threw him a birthday party to celebrate his 108 years. (1, 2)
“Oh, they nearly drove me nuts. They probably took 100 pictures of me,” Allcock laughingly told the CBC. (1)
The party also had a special appearance by Kerrobert’s mayor, Wayne Mock. He proclaimed that January 26 was Esmond Allcock day, honoring the centenarian’s long life. And the staff served steak, carrots, and fruit, Allcock’s favorite meal. (1)
A Long Life and a Large Family
When Allcock passed away, he had 71 descendants. They included six children, 17 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren. Two of Allcock’s children passed away before he did. (2, 3)
Although Allcock has plenty of descendants, it wasn’t until the 71st that he had a namesake. His great-granddaughter Jenna Lehne chose to name her second son Esmond after her great-grandfather. (3)
“When I got pregnant with my second, he mentioned to my grandmother that he was responsible for 71 descendants and no one had named their son after him,” Lehne wrote in a post on the site Love What Matters. “My husband and I had wanted to name our new son after family, and that just sealed the deal.” (4)
Allcock was touched by having his great-great-grandson named after him. Lehne wrote, “As he held my son, he kissed his head and said over and over again, ‘You don’t know what this means to me. You don’t know what this means to me.’” (4) https://www.youtube.com/embed/E-At7HKSmCc
Disclaimer: Though he lived to 108, Mr. Allcock was not the oldest man in Canada.
Allcock spoke to his son, Dale, over FaceTime on the day of the party. Dale lives in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. (1)
In an interview with CBC, Dale said, “We Facetime every day on his iPad and you can really tell how happy he is, and they treat him like gold in there.” (1)
Allcock was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1910. He was the second oldest of eight children. Allcock outlived all of his siblings. (2)
He lived in Kerrobert for 100 years. The town is southwest of Saskatoon. Allcock worked as a farmer, retiring in 1975. (1)
On Allcock’s 108th birthday, his son Dale said, “He really is a gift. That’s about all we can call that.” (1)