Ashburton resident Margaret Halkett is getting set to celebrate her 103rd birthday.
She was born on September 20, 1922.
She says it’s just another day, just another birthday but her fellow residents and the staff at Heritage Lifecare Coldstream Lifecare and Village Ashburton won’t let such a milestone go by unmarked.
Though Margaret doesn’t think there is a need for a fuss, a special morning tea with a birthday cake will be happening on Saturday.
Her motto of ‘if you don’t use it, you will lose it’ is one she lives by even today.
She believes her motto, and the occasional half glass of red wine, may be part of why she has lived to such a great age.
Margaret is an active resident who enjoys the exercises and walking group and until recently, when her eyesight prevented her continuing, she was a keen bowler in the facility’s matches.
Through a friend she had met her late husband Raymond, who she termed as her ‘best friends forever’.
They went on to have two sons.
Margaret grew up on a farm in the Dorie area and it was where she attended primary school.
She was one of five girls in the family who had lots of fun in their youth.
She said they had pet lambs and made pets out of many of the animals that came their way.
She didn’t go to secondary school which impacted the career she wanted to pursue in nursing.
‘‘I wasn’t allowed to go nursing because I hadn’t completed high school,’’ she said.
But the lack of training didn’t hold her back from undertaking some nursing duties.
‘‘Three of us from Ashburton were seconded to Red Cross nursing in Wellington,’’ Margaret said.
From what she can recall it was during the war years. They were sent to the Wellington Hospital for three years.
‘‘I loved the nursing but didn’t like Wellington. I just wanted to come back home,’’ she said.
The three Mid Canterbury lasses got on very well together.
They boarded together with a lady whose husband was serving overseas.
‘‘I just got on with whatever job I was asked to do because I so enjoyed it, I loved nursing. The other two girls didn’t enjoy it as much,’’ she said.
On returning to Ashburton she continued in a paid role as a Red Cross nurse.
The staff at Coldstream commented on how appreciative Margaret is of anything anyone does for her, and always thanks people.
