ORILLIA - Friday marked a remarkable milestone for Lyla Martin, an Orillia resident who turned 104 years old.
Born in Sudbury in 1920 as the eldest daughter in a family of eight children, Martin has lived through more than a century of history, change, and cherished moments with her loved ones.
Despite reaching an age few experience, Martin says she rarely thinks about it.
“I feel the same as I did last week,” she shared. “I just don't take it for granted that I’m that age.”
One of the highlights of Martin’s life was her marriage to Arthur David — affectionately known as Bud — a loving partnership she fondly recalls as the best time of her life.
“We got along so well,” she said. “We had one son, and he was a real good son. I’ve had a really good life.”
Bud, who served as a driver for officers in France during the Second World War, was kept overseas for eight months after the war ended because of his exceptional skills.
“I was waiting and waiting for him to come home, and they wouldn’t let him go,” Martin remembered.
When asked by OrilliaMatters about the secret to her long and happy life, she humbly admitted she doesn’t have one.
“I just go along with every day,” she said. “I get up, I get dressed, eat, do what I have to do, and go to bed.”
However, Martin did emphasize one guiding principle that has led her to having a peaceful mind.
“I don’t worry,” she said. “If something happens and you can’t do anything about it, don’t worry about it.”
For younger generations, Martin offers simple but invaluable advice to maintain healthy relationships with family and friends.
“You have to be considerate of each other,” she said. “Don’t just walk in and say, ‘Well, this is what we’re going to do.’ That doesn’t work. You have to talk about things. My husband and I did that all our life.”
Growing up as the eldest of five girls and three boys, Martin credited her mother’s strong values for keeping the family close.
“Everybody got along because my mother wouldn’t stand for anything else,” she said.
Truth, Martin says, is the most important value she’s held onto throughout her life, something that was instilled in her at a young age.
“Everybody should live by the truth,” she said. “Always tell the truth; then you can go from there to figure things out.”
A lifelong people person, she spent much of her career in retail, working at Zellers in downtown Orillia, where she found joy in interacting with customers.
As Martin marks her 104th birthday, she celebrated with loved ones at Montana’s BBQ & Bar on Friday afternoon. She took time to reflect on a life well lived. With wisdom, humour, and an unwavering appreciation for the simple joys of daily life, she continues to inspire those around her.
When asked about her favourite day in her long life, Martin reflected on her time with Bud.
“When I married my husband, that was the best day of my life,” she said, a testament to a love and life well spent.
