Edgar Dunning’s 100 birthday is not until Jan. 7, 2010, but that did not stop the former newspaper man and broadcaster from celebrating a “significant” milestone this week.

“It was at the request of my children that I have birthday celebrations when there aren’t winter storms,” quipped Dunning, who on Tuesday (July 7) marked his 99 1/2 year birthday with a picnic for family and friends at Memorial Park in Ladner.

Dunning, a former publisher of the Delta Optimist, says he has no special secret for his longevity and admits to not following closely the advice of doctors after a friend once asked him how many physicians he has outlived.

“There’s been at least 10 I can think of,” Dunning says laughing.

Dunning moved to Ladner with his family in 1922 from Barons in southern Alberta where his father, Vincent, ran a newspaper.

The Delta Chamber of Commerce had contacted Vincent Dunning and asked if he would set up a paper in Ladner after one had closed down.

He accepted and the family set down roots.

After his father left the family, Dunning’s mother Gertrude took over running the Optimist in 1923 and had Edgar learn the printing business.

Dunning went on to become a reporter, after a year-long stint working in the mines in Stewart, B.C., at papers in Prince Rupert.

He returned to Ladner in 1930 when the depression made jobs scarce, and he went to work with his mother again, finally buying out the paper in 1940.

He ran the Optimist until 1964 when he sold half to Ernie Bexley and continued as editor at the paper. Today, he still writes a column.

Dunning also was a CBC radio broadcaster, working 27 years as the host of Neighbourly News, a program made popular after the Second World War that is spawned regional editions like the one Dunning worked on until 1984.

Dunning credits his mother’s studies and mastery of elouction for his ability to properly project and pronounce words for his long run in radio.

Dunning says the aspect of working in newspapers he enjoyed the most was his constant contact with people. And he sees a bright future for community papers, despite the growth and prevalence of electronic media.

“While one can’t fully see the future with any great accuracy, I believe community papers will continue to succeed where the dailies aren’t because I don’t see people giving up their access to local news.”