If you want to live to be 100, you better follow Edward Blanchette’s two-step program: find a devoted spouse and eat your vegetables.
“She made me eat all kinds of vegetables,” said Blanchette, pointing to his wife, Helena, after enjoying a piece of birthday cake at his 100th birthday party Thursday. “Before I met her, I thought vegetables meant peas. My mom made them every day of the week.”
Not only did Blanchette make it to the century mark, he drove to his own birthday party at Kimball Farm in Jaffrey. Blanchette, who cracked jokes throughout the party, blew out the candles and cut into the first piece of his birthday cake.
“I was definitely surprised,” said Blanchette, shortly after the jam-packed dining room at Kimball Farm joined in to sing “Happy Birthday.”
“If you treat people nice, it will always come back to you,” he said.
Blanchette, a Greenville resident, was surrounded by some of his closest friends, family, and former co-workers.
“When I first met him, he offered me money to head West so I wouldn’t marry his daughter,” joked son-in-law Dick Ouellette. “We always did stuff together, like going up to Maine for a week. I think the only problem we ever had is that he’s a Yankees fan and I’m a Red Sox fan.”
Being the only granddaughter, Melissa Ouellette said she was spoiled by Blanchette. She recalls many memories with her grandfather, including Blanchette teaching her how to fish and to shoot a basket.
“I’m so proud of his life and accomplishments,” said Ouellette. “He’s a great father and grandfather.”
Blanchette was also reunited with some coworkers from Coca-Cola, some of which he hadn’t seen in a while.
“He is just an all-around nice guy, and the best boss I ever had,” said John Coleman, who worked under Blanchette at Coca-Cola for about 15 years in the late ’60s and ’70s. “The last time I saw him he was 80, and I told him he was going to make it to 100.”
Blanchette took some time to reflect on his 30-plus-year career at Coca-Cola, where he made his way up to supervisor of the trucks and later a manager.
“I owe them everything,” said Blanchette. “I really enjoyed working for them.”
Linda Ouellette, manager of the gift shop at Kimball Farm and daughter of Blanchette, said that the yearly trek to Kimballs has become tradition.
“He always gets a bacon cheeseburger or a lobster roll from me with a banana split,” said Linda. “We wanted to do something special for his 100th birthday though.”
Linda said she planned the party as a surprise, but Blanchette had caught on at some point before he arrived.
“He had whispered to me that he knew I was going to do something,” she said. “I’m just glad that he is enjoying himself. It seems like he is having a great time.”
Reflecting on his life, relationships, and accomplishments, Blanchette said he feels “very grateful,” adding that it was nice to be born and raised in a “nice area” where there are “very few crooks.”
“Success will come to those who work for it,” said Blanchette. “You can’t afford to be a wiseman. I mean, who thought I’d get a gem like this,” he asked, pointing at his wife.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.