Centenarian Kathleen McDonald is so thrilled with her card from the Queen she repeatedly holds it up so everyone at her birthday celebration can see it.
“It’s a very nice photo of the Queen. That’s about the nicest photo I’ve seen of her … but she probably didn’t write the card,” a chatty Mrs McDonald says.
She sits in the dining room of Trinity Garden Aged Care a little overwhelmed by the attention.
Born in the gold mining town of Eldorado, near Wangaratta, Mrs McDonald was one of seven children.
She moved to Melbourne and worked as a cook in the city, then the mother-of-three spent most of her life in Sunshine.
Asked how she feels to be 100, she replies: “just OK”. But Mrs McDonald is more than just OK. She’s candid, warm, and has only a faint hearing complaint.
The nurses at her Melton home say she’s great to be around and can often be heard saying, “Hey love, when’s the footy on?”.
These days she may not stay awake for the end of a game, but she remains a big St Kilda fan. Although as her daughter, Deane Hibbs, reminds her, she’s also a Bulldogs supporter.
Asked what’s the secret to living until 100, Mrs McDonald’s candid response is “Damned if I know!”
Mrs Hibbs puts her mother’s longevity down to an active life, love of vegies and a sense of humour.
“When Deane was born she had two deep dimples, just like Allan, my husband. She was the image of her dad and I was so proud,” Mrs McDonald says.
Until two years ago, she lived alone, gardening and even chopping wood.
One of her 12 grandchildren, Kim Roach, says Mrs McDonald reads six books a week.
“She’s a trooper – she even survived typhoid fever.”
