Nancy Rees of Taradale put 100 years behind her yesterday but there was a time, when she was barely a teenager, that she thought she would never see another day.
"I was at the Technical College when the earthquake struck," Mrs Rees said.
"I was sitting with my best friend Rose - she was thrown backwards and I was thrown forwards and the rubble came down and I was buried."
Her inkwell was embedded into her forehead (she still has the scar) and her head was cut open by falling debris.
"I was very badly hurt and it took a long time (to recover)," she said.
When she was well enough she was given the news that her best friend, who she had been chatting with as the earthquake struck, had been killed.
"Oh it wasn't good - it was so sad."
But that was a rare interruption into an otherwise happy life.
"It has been a good life - not a wealthy life but just a good life."
Yesterday she took in the many cards which had arrived - among them cards from the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Governor General, MP Stuart Nash, Mayor Bill Dalton and Maggie Barry.
She was born in Taradale and grew up there, was married there and she still lives there.
Travel was not for her.
She described her father as a very good provider and "not a kissy kissy sort" and her mum was simply a loving mum.
They had a property at Meeanee which they farmed.
She and her sister and brother enjoyed their childhoods, and when she left school she took up a job demonstrating Heinz fifty-seven varieties for the Kelly's Cash Store chain of shops.
"I used to love dancing when I was a teenager - and flirting," she added.
Then she grinned and remarked "I don't go overboard ... but it's boring to behave".
She married Douglas Rees (who became editor of The Daily Telegraph) in 1939 and they set up house on a third of an acre section in Greenmeadows.
They had a son, Ashley.
"I was a stay-at-home," she said with a smile.
"I used to love gardening and we grew all sorts of vegetables."
She still does - keeping an eye on the garden at the unit she has lived in and looked after for the past 30 years.
Mrs Rees said there were clearly good genes on her side as her sister lived to be 94 and her brother, despite "terrible war years", lived to be 83.
But the real secret was staying active, being interested in events and news, eating lots of fresh vegetables and a spot of sherry.
"I have a sherry every afternoon," she said, but then corrected herself.
"No, I actually have two."