110-year-old Fort Erie, Ont., man says to treat others as you’d like to be treated
Burdett Sisler, a resident of Fort Erie, Ont., had a lofty goal when he turned 105 – he wanted to live to be 110. His son Norman was a bit skeptical at first, but on April 13, Burdett achieved his goal. Now, at the age of 110, he is looking forward to reaching the year 2030.
Despite using a wheelchair and having some difficulty with his sight and hearing, Burdett is otherwise healthy for his age. Norman believes there is no reason why his father couldn’t live to see 2030. The Sisler family believes that Burdett is Canada’s oldest living man, a fact that was acknowledged by the Canada Border Services Agency in a Facebook post celebrating his birthday.
Burdett worked for the agency as an appraiser at the Peace Bridge port of entry in Fort Erie from 1949 to 1979. Born in Akron, Ohio in 1915, his family moved to Toronto in 1918 where they opened a tire factory. Burdett eventually worked at the factory before getting married in 1939, just days after Britain declared war on Germany.
Despite enlisting in the military and training in Nova Scotia during the war, Burdett never saw combat overseas. After the war, he continued working for the military before starting his job at the customs agency.
In his retirement, Burdett stayed active and engaged by following the news, calling bingo, and working with adult literacy groups. He even continued driving until he turned 100. His wife passed away 40 years ago, and he retired 45 years ago, but he has remained active and involved in his community.
Burdett has five children, 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and an impressive 14 great-great-grandchildren. He has lived through two world wars, two pandemics, and two solar eclipses. Despite his worsening eyesight, Burdett still enjoys reading magazines to keep up with the world.
Reflecting on his long life, Burdett believes that treating others with kindness and respect is important. He believes that everyone’s actions matter and that people should strive to treat others as they would like to be treated. This philosophy has guided him throughout his life and is a lesson he has passed on to his children.
To celebrate his 110th birthday, about 250 people gathered at the Fort Erie Legion, including family members, politicians, and members of the public. An honor guard played bagpipes as Burdett entered the party, and guests sang “Happy Birthday” as he blew out the candles on his cake. Burdett was overwhelmed by the turnout and described the event as “awesome.”
Burdett Sisler’s remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to all who know him. His positive attitude, resilience, and kindness have helped him reach this incredible milestone, and his family is hopeful that he will continue to defy the odds and reach his goal of living to 2030.
