At 106 years old, Sarah Martin’s sharp memory and spirited presence are nothing short of remarkable. Born on April 12, 1919, in County Fermanagh, Ireland, Sarah was just seven years old when she and her family immigrated to Canada in 1926, settling in the Wellsdale area; now known as Clandonald.

“My mother was pregnant on the ship,” Sarah recalls. She and her parents, along with six siblings, crossed the Atlantic on the SS Metagama, a transatlantic ocean liner co-owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The journey from Ireland took approximately three weeks; two spent at sea, one by train to Montreal, and the final leg to Alberta.

Upon their arrival, the family received a Stave Lock home, a quarter-section of land, two cows, and two horses. “Ten acres were ready for sowing, and on the second day, my father went out to seed the wheat,” Sarah remembers. When asked why the family immigrated to Canada she said, “We left before the Great Depression got worse than it already was.”

One of her most vivid memories from their arrival involves her mother. “There was no step on the Stave Lock home and I remember my mother crawling in the door. She lived there her whole life and the saying was said that she went in the back door and when she died, she came out the front door.”

The family would grow considerably after settling in Canada, her parents went on to have nine more children, raising fifteen children in total. Sarah attended Morton School and later the Sisters of St. Joseph’s School, completing her education through Grade 12.

Sarah’s only time away from the homestead was spent working in food services at a hospital in Edson. Eventually, she returned home to help care for her parents and younger siblings, remaining on the farm even after her parents passed. With the help of family members, she continued farming and maintaining the homestead.

In 2007, Sarah travelled back to Ireland with her sister Ellen. During the trip, she met her cousin’s son, Father Declan Shannon, and visited the childhood home she left at age seven. There, she met Pat and Mary Woods, who were living in the house at the time, and had the rare and emotional opportunity to sleep in the very room where she was born.

Sarah remained active and independent well into her 90s. At age 96, she was still living and working on the farm. Though she chose not to renew her driver’s license at 96, she continued riding the combine and helping with harvests until the age of 105.

In April of this year, Sarah made the difficult decision to leave her beloved farm and move into a local assisted living facility. “I’m not sure, I never thought I would make it this far,” she said with a chuckle when asked the secret to her longevity. “But I guess it was good eating.” She takes no medications, only vitamins, and continues to enjoy a balanced diet. She also noted that she can’t give any advice on longevity as it depends on each person’s health.

Now 106, Sarah remains spry and mentally sharp. Although she’s adjusting to her new surroundings, it’s clear her heart is still on the land that has shaped nearly a century of her life. Her legacy is one of quiet strength, deep family roots, and a deep love for the farm and community that she helped build and sustain.