WILTON MANORS, Fla. — Edith O’Rourke is nearly 99 years old, but that hasn’t stopped her from picking up a game controller — and a few strikes.
The longtime Independence Hall Senior Living resident has become an active member of the community’s Wii Bowling league, trading in a real bowling ball for a Nintendo Wii remote.
Twice a week, she competes with fellow residents, and every Thursday at 2 p.m., she joins a practice session to sharpen her virtual bowling skills.
“My background is in sports — but this is a challenge,” O’Rourke said. “Some may laugh and think it’s crazy... but it’s just luck.”
O’Rourke, born Sept. 5, 1926, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, isn’t new to technology.
She regularly plays Solitaire on her iPad, though she sometimes asks for help closing pop-up ads. She doesn’t remember who first showed her the game, but she knows how to launch it and keeps the device nearby for daily use.
After earning two master’s degrees in theology from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Detroit, O’Rourke became a nun at age 22, serving at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Indiana.
Decades later, she’s continuing to learn new things.
“Technology isn’t just for the young,” said Katy Audette, activity director at Independence Hall. “People like Edith show that learning doesn’t stop, no matter your age. Whether it’s an iPad game or Wii Bowling, she’s figuring it out.”
Local media are invited to meet O’Rourke, watch a game, and see how residents at the senior living community are embracing new technology in unexpected ways.
A video of Edith Wii Bowling can be found here.
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