PALMDALE WOMAN MARKS 100TH.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET SENIOR COLUMNIST

PALMDALE - Albertine Trudel has done what women aspire to do -- reach the age of 100 and look like her child's sibling rather than mother.

She looks good and she's still sharp as a tack.

Her only major concessions to the aging process are the facts that her hearing is gone and she's not as light on her feet as she used to be. That was evidenced at the surprise birthday party her son and daughter-in-law, Gaeton and Merilee Trudel, with whom she lives, threw for her on Oct. 7, two days after the anniversary of her actual birth, Oct. 5, 1906.

Approximately 80 relatives and friends arrived from all over California, Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Wisconsin to honor her.

She not only recognized most of them but greeted them happily by name, a feat many much younger seniors often find difficult. She needed only a brief reminder to refresh her memory of those she didn't know instantly.

She was born Albertine Lamontagne, one of eight children, in Lawrence, Mass., but she was raised and educated in Quebec, Canada.

She and Wilfred Trudel were married in Los Angeles in 1933 and made their home in Glendale for all 70 years of their married life.

They traveled a lot to Europe, took cruises to the Caribbean and Hawaii. They bought a brand-new 1968 Cadillac and motored all over the United States before Wilfred, an automobile painter, died Feb. 1, 1985.

``Wilfred was good at his job,'' she said. ``He worked for Chieftain Pontiac for 20 years, painted California Highway Patrol cars for the most part, and was employed until he was 75 years old.''

Albertine drove that '68 Coupe de Ville until she voluntarily surrendered her driver's license when she turned 94. Gaetan and Merilee still maintain it in mint condition and they have no plans to ever get rid of it.

``It's a classic, just like my mother,'' said Gaetan, ``and it has a lot of sentimental value.''

Albertine was always a homemaker but didn't hesitate to take up a banner for issues that had to do with the welfare of children. From her late 50s to her 70s, she was involved in, and a protagonist for, the El Rancho Boys Town in Northridge. She served that organization as vice president for many of those years.

She also sewed, dabbled in crafts and created flower arrangements for her home and gifts for friends.

``She's always been very creative and a fabulous cook,'' said her daughter-in-law, ``and she's always taken good care of herself.''

Albertine credits her graceful aging on living a life free of artificiality. She's never been much for cosmetics unless they were to protect the skin.

``I've always stayed out of the sun so that my skin hasn't become parched. I smoked briefly but quit when I realized what it might do to my skin, hair and nails. I never drank anything, except maybe an occasional glass of wine with dinner, and I've always been careful to eat the right foods,'' she said. ``I think all those things make a difference. At least they have with me.''

Asked what she thinks about the world today, she answered that she has great confidence in the new crop of young people.

``I have hope the new generations coming along will be able to bring the world back together again,'' she said. ``And I always hope that my grandkids and great-grandkids will do well, make me proud of their inroads into society with positive contributions to it.''

When she moved to rise out of her chair and go to the guests who were waiting to pay her homage, Merilee offered her a hand. She needed only a slight amount of assistance.

``Isn't she something?'' asked Merilee.

Not long after she was settled in the midst of the gaiety, her grandson, Billy Trudel, arrived fresh from a singing engagement.

Trudel, a professional singer who from 1995 to 2001 sang as backup for Elton John, sat down beside Albertine, took her hand in his and sang ``You Are So Beautiful To Me.''

When the song ended, she was starry-eyed. As for the others, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster and Palmdale have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk, for the suggested donation of $2.

Monday: Macaroni and cheese, potato salad, peas and carrots, coleslaw, peaches.

Tuesday: Chicken divan, noodles, stewed tomatoes, tossed salad, apple.

Wednesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, spinach, marinated salad, cake.

Thursday: Cranberry chicken, rice pilaf, green beans, tossed salad with tomato, banana.

Friday: Pork chop, dressing, winter squash, Caesar salad, ice cream.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Albertine Trudel blows out the candles on her 100th birthday cake.

(2) Wilfred and Albertine Trudel in an old family photo from the 1930s.