By Jesse Graham
WESBURN’S Myra Healey has joined the ranks of the Yarra Valley’s centenarians, celebrating her 100th birthday on Thursday 3 November.
Ms Healey celebrated the occasion on Sunday in Williamstown with friends and family, on Wednesday 2 November at Yarra Junction’s Upper Yarra RSL with Legacy members and again on Thursday in a small event at Wild Cattle Creek Estate in Wandin North.
About 40 friends and Legacy members attended the RSL lunch, with many dressed in nautical uniforms and costumes – a continuation of the first birthday celebration at Williamstown’s Titanic Restaurant.
“We’ve had so many parties in my life – I’ve had every kind of party you could imagine,” Ms Healey told the Mail.
“My daughter said, ‘What do you want to do for your 100th?’ – just for a joke, I said I’ll go down on the Titanic.
“Of course, she went straight and booked it and, oh, it was big. It was a good night.”
Ms Healey said she and her husband came to the Yarra Valley about 37 years ago, coming to live with a cousin before settling down in Wesburn and eventually joining Legacy.
“When my husband died, they asked me to come join them,” she said.
“I didn’t want to, because I didn’t know anything about Legacy – anyway, I did, and I became the oldest, longest-serving president in 90 years, eventually.”
“I didn’t know that until they told me.”
One of the attendees, Barry Dingle, said Ms Healey had spent her life doing all she could to help other people, and her work with Legacy was an example of that.
“If it’s not helping others, she’s not interested in it,” Mr Dingle said.
Ms Healey said she had already received letters from politicians to congratulate her on the milestone birthday.
“I can’t believe it,” she said.
“I can’t believe I’m 100 – when I was 99, everyone was telling me what a good age, I said that was nothing.
“One hundred, it suddenly hit me, is a long time.”
