Irene Lantz was born on the family farm in Wroxton, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 2 March 1914. She was the fifth of 14 children born to parents Fred and Katie Perpeluk. She had 4 sisters and 9 brothers.

In August 1936, she married Carl (Mickey) North and left the family farm thereafter. In the late 1930s, they moved to a small farm near Calgary. Her husband, a skilled photographer, supported the family by capturing and selling individual family framed portraits in the local area, while Irene tended to chickens and sold eggs. Their only son, Morley, was born in Calgary on 8 January 1938. In the mid-1940s, after spending several years in rural Calgary, they moved to a small one-bedroom house in Jasper Place, which was still considered a town at that time. In the mid-1950s, they moved to a larger house in South Edmonton.

Lantz had a passion for fishing and gardening, enjoying the fruits and vegetables she grew herself. Known for making fresh juice from her garden and her famous apple wine, she wasn’t much of a drinker herself. Her family described her as a kind and non-judgmental individual who found joy in every moment. Her nephew Pat mentioned that she was a homemaker and one of the first health-conscious individuals, as she made her own yogurt. He also noted that she maintained an active lifestyle by dancing and continued using public transportation until her early hundreds.

After her husband’s passing in early 1984 and her son’s in late 1997, she continued to live independently in their Park Allen home for nearly another 12 years. She then met Tony Lantz through dancing, and they married on 19 January 2002. She embraced Tony’s family, consisting of 6 sons and 1 daughter, along with their spouses and children. At the age of 104, she moved to the Canterbury Foundation care home. Even at that age, she remained active, independent, and capable of walking on her own. According to her family, her kind and non-judgmental nature contributed to her longevity. They believed she found happiness in every moment.