Havelock North resident Lorelei Powell celebrates 100th birthday in style

While Havelock North resident Lorelei Powell is sad she didn't get a 100th birthday card from Queen Elizabeth II, she is more than happy with the one she received from King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Lorelei Powell, who turned 100 on February 22 this year, believes her secret to a long life is eating anything and everything, enjoying a drink or two, being positive, keeping mobile and taking garlic tablets.

Growing up in Wellington and then living in Auckland for 62 years, Lorelei moved to Hawke’s Bay at 96 years old when her daughter Linda West moved to Hastings and married David West.

Lorelei said she likes living in Hawke’s Bay because, unlike Auckland or Wellington, it has a small-town feel, is friendly and is close to open countryside and there are no high-rise buildings.

Currently living in an apartment in Summerset in the Vines in Havelock North, Powell still lives largely independently and takes no medication except pain relief on occasion for arthritis.

Lorelei Powell (left) celebrates her 100th birthday after her daughter Linda West refused to let the special day pass by without any fanfare.

She has a cleaner and some meals prepared by the village, loves to attend movie nights and happy hour every week at the village and Linda takes her mum out and about the town throughout the week.

Lorelei has never driven and walks with a stick, refusing a walker.

Linda said: “She has a walker but it is largely ornamental and is usually a seat for her 14-year-old cat who moved with her from Auckland.”

Keeping her mind sharp, Lorelei enjoys reading a variety of novels and the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper, as well as playing Scrabble with her daughter.

Linda said her mum has a great memory with most things, especially her early life, and she often asks Lorelei how to spell words.

Lorelei left school at 13 and worked in shops, which is how she became good with numbers because there were no tills back then and she had to add everything in her head.

Linda said her mum didn’t want a party for her 100th birthday because all her old friends have died bar one, who is in a rest home in Auckland.

“She didn’t think there was anyone to celebrate with except family which is made up of just two children, two grandsons and a daughter and son-in-law mostly living in Auckland,” Linda said.

“[But] me being me, I was not going to let this special day pass by without fanfare.”

Lorelei’s 100th birthday celebrations kicked off with an Art Deco movie at the Globe Theatrette in Ahuriri and then lunch at the Mission with a friend from the village on her actual birthday, which included a ride in Linda and David’s vintage car.

Surprising Lorelei, Linda invited 20 people including family, the daughters of her mum’s old friends and new friends from her village to her house to celebrate her mum.

The week of 100th birthday celebrations continued with a night at the Opera House in Hastings to see Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Tutus on Tour. Then last but not least were the races in Hastings, where Lorelei is a proud member.

Lorelei said she “enjoyed everything” but was surprised to receive so many cards and gifts. Receiving a card from the King was a highlight.

She was saddened by the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, thinking the monarch would outlive her and send her a card. However, the one from King Charles and Queen Camilla made her happy, even if it did arrive a few days late.

Maddisyn Jeffares became the editor of the Hawke’s Bay community papers Hastings Leader and Napier Courier in 2023 after writing at the Hastings Leader for almost a year. She has been a reporter with NZME for almost three years and has a strong focus on what’s going on in communities, good and bad, big and small. Email news tips to her at: maddisyn.jeffares@nzme.co.nz.