From monkeys to birds - Animal lover turns 100

“The first animal I ever bought was an African Green (monkey) and she was so nice and tame. I only had her for a month and she bit me in the leg and I had gangrene,” said Wylde.

New to the age of 100, Wylde’s birthday was Nov. 27.

She was born on Cape Sable Island but her family moved to Port Medway when she was nine months old.

She spent 44 years of her life living in New Jersey, U.S.A.

For a few years Wylde was a “sales lady.”

Her sister, Evelyn Manthorne declared Wylde’s hobbies back in the day were animals and nature.

Wylde liked gardening as well.

Eventually, Wylde had three children, who all reside in the United States.

She has four grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.

Wylde said once her children went in the army, she raised canaries, parakeets, monkeys, birds, dogs and cats.

She spoke of feeding a baby monkey with goat’s milk and how adorable her spider monkey of eight years was.

She also had several Squirrel monkeys.

“I had a coyote once but I didn’t keep that very long,” added Wylde.

Her husband retired in 1968, at which time they moved back to Queens County.

A year and a half later, she lost her husband to a heart attack.

She recalled one of her worst memories “was when I had to get rid of those two last monkeys that I had. After my husband died I had to get rid of that Rhys monkey and the Spider monkey,” she explained. “I couldn’t afford to keep them.”

Moving from Port Medway to Liverpool in 1994, Wylde then moved in with her sister Evelyn Manthorne in 2000.

Manthorne who is 97 years old joked, “I’m trying to catch her.”

Wylde thought for a moment before revealing her favourite memory was walking through the woods in Port Medway.

Describing it as peaceful, Wylde said, “I’d like to do it again, but I can’t walk now.”

Wylde and her sister speculated about what the key to a long life is.

Manthorne described her sister as a big eater.

“I never drank or smoked in my life,” added Wylde.

And she is a “whiz at nutrition,” declared Manthorne.

“I think you should eat nutritious food,” responded Wylde. “Some of the garbage these people eat today. I wonder how they live at all.”