Kaye Pert, left, and Leonie Oddy with their mother Mary Hunter, who celebrated her 100th birthday last Thursday.
By Sarah Schwager
THE key to making it to 100 – don’t get sick.
That’s according to Mary Ellen Hunter’s two daughters Kaye Pert and Leonie Oddy, who said their mother, who turned 100 last Thursday, led a healthy and happy lifestyle, kept active and didn’t drink or smoke.
Mrs Hunter celebrated the milestone with a smile on her face at aged care facility Langford Grange in Cranbourne East.
Mrs Oddy said the loving mother of two, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of six had always been very involved in gardening and outdoor activities, and was nifty with her hands, occupying her time sewing men’s suits as a tailoress and making floral carpets to fundraise for the local primary school.
She was also very supportive of her husband Bert, who was involved in the Masonic Lodge and Rotary Club.
The pair was married 57 years before Bert died 14 years ago.
Mrs Oddy said her mum was healthy and independent until she was 93, living in a retirement village.
She was the first person to move into the new Langford Grange 2.5 years ago after moving from Melville Grange in Berwick.
Mrs Oddy said longevity must run in the family with Mrs Hunter’s sister Merle to turn 96 next month.
She said the most important contributor to her longevity was hard and honest work, enjoying what she did and enjoying their retirement, travelling to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
