New centenarian celebrates milestone with family

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on December 13, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Lethbridge resident Trudy Kazokas celebrates her 100th birthday surrounded by friends on Monday at Heritage Lodge.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A Lethbridge resident is having a hard time finding the words to express what it feels like to live to be a 100 years old, after reaching the big milestone Monday surrounded by friends and family.

Heritage Lodge resident and newly-minted centenarian, Trudy Kazokas, seemed surprised by her own longevity.

“You just carry on as your years go along, but when you come to a 100 then you go, oh my gosh!” said Kazokas.

She said she enjoyed celebrating with her family on Saturday, as she was surrounded by multiple generations. Kazokas said she had 10 children but lost four, and has 75 grandchildren in total, within two or three generations.

“On Saturday we had the biggest time of our lives, bowling all together with my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great-grandchildren,” said Kazokas.

She said some of the highlights from her life involved traveling with her husband before he passed away.

Kazokas moved to the Heritage Lodge only five years ago and said she worked until she was 87 years old.

“I worked for Safeway for 24 years, but at that point I was cleaning bank floors and when it came to scrubbing with those heavy mops I couldn’t do it anymore so I had to quit,” said Kazokas.

She said now she stays busy by creating diamond dot pictures, which she started doing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic was hard because you couldn’t get out and walk and do things like that. And I hope to get back to walking outdoors again. In the mean time I walk inside,” said Kazokas.

On Monday Kazokas celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by friends at Heritage Lodge with a cake in the shape of a bowling alley.

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