100th birthday a special celebration with family and friends

Dannevirke's Katie Herrington celebrated 100 years of wonderful life at Eileen Mary Rest Home on Tuesday.

Dannevirke's Katie Herrington may have turned 100, but she radiates a glow of life that would be envied by many much younger. Celebrating her 100th birthday on Tuesday, Mrs Herrington was looking forward to a big day.

"I've so many visitors I haven't seen for so long, I don't remember who is who," she said.

Mrs Herrington admitted she was proud of her old-fashioned values.

"I think we will see things go full circle, because all these new ideas will have their day and then people will look for the old-fashioned values again," she said.

Born Katie McMillan at the hospital in Waipawa, she later moved to Cole St in Dannevirke and her father was a road worker who helped form Weber Rd, working with a horse and dray.

"I can remember travelling to Woodville with my father pointing out the road he'd worked on. I felt proud," she said. Mrs Herrington's father also worked on the construction of the Matahiwi Hill south of Dannevirke.

"We were a family of five girls and one boy, but sadly my brother was killed when he was 2 years old," she said.

Mrs Herrington attended Dannevirke High School where she was a school prefect and a member of the school netball team in the 1930s.

When she left high school she went on to work in the office at Waiarapa Farmers. After marrying Gordon in Otane, the couple went on to have two sons, Gordon and David, who has passed away.

Son Gordon said he spent most of his time with his grandfather on the farm at Umutaoroa.

"My dad was overseas serving in World War II for four or five years," he said. "I was just 4 weeks old when he left and when he returned he sharemilked on the farm."

Gordon said he can remember taking the cans of milk to the dairy factory by horse and dray.

"It was a wonderful meeting place," he said. "Dad applied for a rehab farm, but missed out, but in 1950 he got the chance to buy Gunderson's farm at Tataramoa."

Gordon was a pupil at Matamau School before going on to become chairman of the school board when one son attended the country school. With six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, the 100th birthday celebrations were wonderful, Mrs Herrington said.

"Family and friends are what have made my life special," she said. "I've some great, great friends. I'm lucky."

One very special friend, Keita (Maori for Katie) Pouri-Lane, visited on Tuesday.

"I was born 24 years after Katie and my mother named me to honour the request of a nurse," she said.

Mrs Herrington's great-great-granddaughter, Eloise, has Keita as her second name.

"Interestingly, Mum's name on her birth certificate is Kayta," Gordon said.

Mrs Pouri-Lane says Mrs Herrington is an amazing woman.

"We live in a motorhome and when we visit she walks, without any aids out to us," she said.

In fact, Gordon said his mother is the only Eileen Mary resident who doesn't use a walker.

"Her 100th birthday is a great feat, but she's still a little way to go to match her mother who lived until she was 102," he said.

Mrs Herrington's husband died in 1992 and up until four years ago she lived in a flat in Dannevirke's Denmark St.

"I had a nice little unit and I didn't think I was ready for Eileen Mary, but it's lovely," she said.

With cards from Her Majesty the Queen, the Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy and a handwritten message from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, as well as a large pile of cards and messages from family and friends, Tuesday's celerbations and a weekend gathering of family, Mrs Herrington felt maybe a nap was in order.