Elsie Coote just celebrated her 100th birthday and puts down her longevity to having family around her.
Ms Coote celebrated her centenary year at the Melton Country Club at the weekend.
One of nine children, she has always been family-oriented and says having such a wonderful family has enabled her to live a long and happy life.
Ms Coote has lived in Melton for 45 years and is well travelled with favourite holiday memories of England, where she was born, and America.
She worked in various places, including the old Melton hospital, looking after the matron’s headquarters.
Ms Coote names her greatest achievement as her family – two sons, seven grandchildren and 12 great grand- children.
She says cooking and knitting had been her two favourite hobbies. “My favourite meal to cook was roast, although I don’t cook any more.”
One of her favourite memories involves jumping on her husband’s motorbike when she was just 18, and she still remembers their weekly Sunday morning rides by the seaside.
Although Ms Coote has many memories from England, she says her family was much better off coming to Australia.
By Neslim Djemal
