By Victoria Stone-Meadows
A Cranbourne East woman has reached a remarkable milestone and celebrated her 100th birthday at the Langford Grange aged care facility.
Ann Else was born on 20 May 1917 in Carlton, and has welcomed her 100th year of life with two birthday parties surrounded by family and friends.
Ms Else enjoys participating in all the activities on offer at the aged care facility with bingo being a particular favourite of hers.
“Oh yes bingo, I like it a lot,” she said.
Ms Else has always lived by the beach having lived in suburbs including Bon Beach, Moorabbin, Frankston and Ormond.
A keen dancer in her younger years, Ms Else’s birthday party was Rock’n’Roll themed, and she enjoyed her favourite meal of roast chicken with Pavlova for dessert.
Ms Else said the secret to living a long life is as simple as eating well, sleeping well and doing a lot of walking.
Ms Else’s daughter Carol remembers her mother used to walk a lot and took pleasure in going for a stroll.
“She used to walk everywhere,” Carol said.
“She would walk to Bentleigh and down to Moorabbin; Dad didn’t have licence, so they both used to walk everywhere.”
Ms Else was also known for her fondness for cats; a fondness her late husband Harold was always willing to indulge in.
“One day Dad went to the hotel in Moorabbin like he did every Saturday and came home with a cat on his bike,” Carol said.
“That cat was with them for years and years.”
Ms Else enjoyed a birthday party on Friday 19 May with her daughter Carol and friends at Langford Grange and a second birthday on Saturday 20 May with all her cousins in attendance.
