Bill offers advice for living to 101

By Lethbridge Herald on October 10, 2025.

Lethbridge Chief of Police Shahin Mehdizadeh greetings 101-year-old Bill Gooch at his birthday celebration at the Green Acres Foundation Black Rock Terrace. During the celebration Chief Mehdizadeh, Mayor Blaine Hyggen and MLA Rob Miyashiro presented Gooch with certificates acknowledging his longevity reaching his "century plus one" birthday.

Joe Manio
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

When Bill Gooch started farming as a young man in the 1930s, motorized farming saw the widespread adoption of tractors that replaced horse-drawn equipment, increasing efficiency in plowing, planting, and harvesting. Farming however, was still hard manual work. Nearly a century later, modern air conditioned combines can operate autonomously. 

Born on October 6, 1924 during the middle of The Roaring 20s, Gooch describes farming during the ‘30s and ’40s as very tough economic times. Having ridden them out, he’s seen a lot of social and economic changes moving from the 20th into the 21st century.

“There are good changes…very good changes,” he says. “Better way of living after that. Better way of living here.”

On Thursday, over 60 friends, family and city officials gathered at the Green Acres Foundation Black Rock Terrace to celebrate Gooch’s 101 trips around the sun.

When asked his secret for his longevity and looking so well at the tender age of 101, Gooch had a succinct reply.

“Vitamin E and staying sober,” he says. 

Gooch also credits working hard, since he was a young man, with his longevity. When asked if he had any hobbies or things he liked to do, Gooch had another simple reply. 

“I like drinking beer,” he says.

Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh, Mayor Blaine Hyggen and Lethbridge West MLA Rob Miyashiro were on hand to present official certificates acknowledging another milestone birthday for Gooch.

For Mehdizadeh, who has made it his mission to personally meet and greet any Lethbridge resident who reaches their 100th birthday since becoming chief, Gooch is the 41st centenarian he’s had the privilege of meeting.

“These events never get old for me,” says Mehdizadeh. “I love meeting people who reach such a milestone in their life, sharing that moment and being a part of it.”

Miyashiro especially enjoys greeting Lethbridge centenarians on the occasion. Before becoming an MLA earlier this year, Miyashiro served as executive director for the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization (LSCO).

“Anytime you can see that seniors are aging healthy in the place they want to be, that’s what makes it all satisfying to the people that work in this field,” says Miyashiro. “It’s really gratifying to see that we’re able to have an environment like the Green Acres facility where someone that’s 101 can thrive.”

Alberta has 19.7 centenarians per 100,000 people, according to a March 2025 analysis by Zoocasa.

Canada had a per capita rate of approximately 29 centenarians per 100,000 people in 2023, with 11,705 centenarians recorded in total. This rate is among the highest in the world and is a result of the country’s growing and aging population, alongside advances in medicine and public health.

As a farmer who worked hard during tough times, Gooch has sage and ageless advice for young people today.

“Work hard…work hard to get ahead. None of this fooling around,” he says.