Morning coffee, daily walk a must for 101-year-old Steveston woman

Every morning without fail, there is a lady wearing yellow boots, a blue jacket and a colourful beret sitting outside Steveston’s Waves Coffee, sipping on a hot cup of coffee

That person is Pauline Scott, who just celebrated her 101th birthday

An early riser, Scott wakes up every morning at 7:30 a m , has a quick bite, then heads out with her walker for her morning 40-minute stroll from the Maple Residences to Steveston.

“I go for a coffee, and if I meet some of my coffee friends then we talk for quite a long time,” said Scott, adding she enjoys meeting other community members who pass by her when she’s outside

“I like to sit outside because I love to absorb the Egyptian sun ”

When she’s done, she goes on a short stroll around Steveston Village before heading home

Scott told the Richmond News that walking every day is the best way for her to exercise and move her body

“The only time I don’t like going out is if there’s snow, because I have a vehicle (walker) to push ahead of me, ” she said

“It’s hard to push your walker in the snow

Thankfully, we hardly ever have snow here, so I don’t worry too much ”

Exercising is one of two strict routines she has set for herself, the other being what she eats

Her secret to staying healthy, Scott said, all comes down to onions

“I read what two doc- tors wrote in the newspaper a long time ago, and they said if you eat onions, you’ll never be sick I’ve followed that advice ever since ”

And, no, it’s not cooked nor caramelized onions that she eats. It’s a raw onion sandwich

“It’s my favourite sandwich,” said Scott with a big smile, adding that she has no “ care for meat sandwiches ”

“I also dislike anything sweet. I think today, too many oldsters and even youngsters, they eat way too much sweet things and sugar is just that bad for you ”

Scott was born in 1922 and was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, which made her accustomed to “eating plainly ”

After leaving the farm, she worked for the Canadian army in Whitehorse as part of the Canadian militia for seven years before moving to Richmond

While Scott said she’s not a fan of travelling, she wishes she could have visited her parent’s homeland Ukraine

“I would have loved to visit where my mother and dad were born, but it’s a dangerous place right now ”

Scott told the News that one, or a few, of her treasured items are her seven different coloured berets and the books she reads

“It’s important to keep your head warm at all times, but also it looks great!”

She added she loves to enjoy a good book A couple of her favourite authors include Romeo Dallaire and James Hubbard

When asked what the key to living a happy and healthy life is, Scott said one word kindness

“You have to know that word to be successful in life ”

The Presley Estate (Suspicious Minds, Heartbreak Hotel, or both?)

Introduction

We have lost a lot of well known entertainers in the last year Last January 12th, Lisa Marie Presley the only child of Elvis Presley died at age 54 from Cardiac arrest. Ms. Presley is survived by 3 children, Riley and Benjamin Keough (she was married to Danny Keough from 1988 through 1994) and twins, Harper and Finley Lockwood (she was married to Michael Lockwood from 2008 until 2016). Ms. Presley was predeceased by her son Benjamin, who took his own life in 2020.

Background

Elvis Presley was born in Mississippi in 1935. In 1954, he performed for the first time before an audience, at the Louisiana Hayride, a famous running show in the day That launched a tremendous but short, 22 year career of singing and acting Elvis achieved album sales of approximately 1 billion. He is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best selling solo artist of all time The vast majority of his albums went platinum or gold He made numerous successful films.

In 1958, his Mother, Gladys, died at age 46.

In 1967, Elvis married Priscilla in Las Vegas. It was a 6 year marriage and they had one child, Lisa Marie, who was born in 1968. Elvis had no other children. His roller coaster career ended in August, 1977 when he died at age 42. Most fans know of the arduous struggles Elvis endured in the last few years of his life

The Estate

Elvis Will appointed his Father, Vernon, as Executor The beneficiaries were his grandmother, his Father and his daughter, Lisa Marie Lisa Marie’s share was held for her in Trust, until her 25th birthday (in 1993). Vernon died in 1979. In Vernon Presley’s Will 3 Executors were appointed, including Priscilla, the family’s Accountant and a Tennessee Bank.

When Lisa Marie reached age 25, she settled a new Trust, “The Elvis Presley Trust” The Trustees were Priscilla and the same Tennessee Bank. Priscilla became more closely involved with the Estate, while pursuing herownacting(youmayrememberherinthe NakedGun movieseries with Leslie Nielsen) and business interests.

In June, 1982, Priscilla and the other Executors opened Graceland to the Public. That was the start of an expansion in the value of the Estate Today, there is Graceland, surrounded by a modern entertainment complex. It has, by any measure, been a success, thanks in no small part to Priscilla’s efforts.

Lisa Marie’s Estate

Ms. Presley sold a large portion of her interest in the Trust and its operating company in 2005, at a price of roughly $100 million. Though she spent most of that money before she died she apparently retained ownership of Graceland

Ms. Presley restated her Trust in 2010. She appointed Priscilla and another representative, as Trustees. In 2016, it is alleged that Ms. Presley amended her Trust, removing the two as Trustees and replacing them with her daughter Riley and her son, Benjamin. As Benjamin died in 2020, only Riley remains.

Priscilla Presley has challenged the amendment. She has, in her Petition, raised doubts about the authenticity of the amendment, including irregularities in Lisa Marie’s signature as well as the failure to notify Priscilla of the amendment (required under the Trust terms).

Priscilla is also seeking to be reinstated as Trustee, with her granddaughter

There is no indication Priscilla seeks to change the distribution of the Estate

A CNN report says that friends of Lisa Marie speaking anonymously say that Priscilla and Lisa Marie had been estranged in the last few years of Lisa Maries life and she did not want Priscilla to administer the Trust. They say Priscilla’s challenge is a “ money grab”

Though the precise value of Lisa Marie’s Estate is not publically known, there are life insurance policies, valued at as much as $35 million. Likely there is more

An investment advisor in Oregon was quoted in a recent article as saying that the Trusts settled by the Presley family utilized inappropriate persons to manage, which may have contributed to the loss of money over the decades. The advisor suggests that it is more prudent to hire professional Trustees rather than family

Observations

A preliminary hearing of Priscilla’s Petition will happen in mid April

As Priscilla was partly responsible for the tremendous appreciation in value of Elvis’ Estate and as she wants to be reinstated as Trustee, it is potentially significant to allow her involvement.

Otherwise it appears Ms. Presley had as much or more of a tumultuous life as did her Father She was married and divorced four times and the huge proceeds she realized from the sale of part of her interest in the company, appear to have been squandered She died with millions in debts.

The Presley family is a picture of tragedy, as well as conflict. Elvis himself lived a short, troubled life off the stage He lost his Mother when he was 23 and it affected him greatly His only child lived a short life also One can only hope that Lisa Marie Presley’s surviving children break the mold and live better, longer lives. Priscilla may play an instrumental role in that.

Live harmony e life