Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst cracks up, after pinning the civic award on veteran and centenarian Geoff Bibby. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst cracks up, after pinning the civic award on veteran and centenarian Geoff Bibby. Photo / Warren Buckland
With a trademark quip, Geoff Bibby declared he might have another 100 years left in him.
The World War II veteran and former RAF pilot is in triple digits now, but he's lost none of his "wicked" sense of humour.
Geoff celebrated his 100th birthday at Mary Doyle in HavelockNorth on Tuesday - and by the end he was a bit "overwhelmed" by all the attention he was getting, his daughter Carole Bibby said.
About 75 family members and friends were at the party and Carole said they represented his journey through all different sections of his life.
Along with cards from the Queen, PM and Governor-General, Geoff also received a civic honour from Hastings District mayor Sandra Hazlehurst.
"He's a true community gem, and receiving the award bought a tear to his eye," said Hazlehurst.
The civic honour award was for his service for world peace and contribution to education.
"He has spent so much of his time working with the local RSA, he has volunteered his time at rest homes. And up until last year, he was still marching in the Anzac parades."
Hazlehurst said Geoff had a "wicked sense of humour" and had kept her in stitches with jokes not fit for print.
"He's a lovely, lovely man, and he has led an amazing life. I was so proud to present the award to him."
Geoff attended Waipawa primary and district high schools, Kings College in Auckland and Canterbury University, before WWII took him to Wairarapa for army training and then, after a switch to the airforce, Canada and the RAF in England.
Centenarian Geoff Bibby overwhelmed by all the attention he received on his birthday including a card from the Queen. Photo/ Warren Buckland
In the latter stages of World War II, Geoff carried out 15 missions as a navigator aboard an RAF Lancaster.
He is a veteran of Bomber Command.
He previously recalled two memorable missions for Hawke's Bay Today.
One, at the tail end of the war, was a food drop over Holland where the populace was starving.
They did a low run over a field, and as they dropped the food from the bomb bay spotted that the children of the town had used flowers to make a huge sign on the grass.
