Napier's newest centenarian got there with the help of her fruit and veges

Audrey Densham credits fruit and vegetables, daily walks and a "glass of red with dinner" for helping her celebrate her 100th birthday with friends and family. Photo / Supplied

From the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, raising her son while her husband fought overseas in World War II, and now the Covid-19 pandemic - "it's been a busy life", says Napier's newest centenarian.

Audrey Densham celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family at the Princess Alexandra Retirement Village on Sunday.

Napier born and raised, Audrey grew up next to the now-closed Bluff Hill Primary School, which she attended.

She was there on February 3, 1931, the day the deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Hawke's Bay region.

"It's not something you forget in a hurry.

"There was a terrible noise as well as everything rattling and falling off."

Her two-storey wooden home escaped significant damage despite the brick chimneys coming down.

"The whole place was in a mess."

She and one of her sisters were sent to Wellington, while her brother was sent to New Plymouth and her older sister remained behind to help with the clean-up efforts.

"That was too exciting really," Audrey said.

"It's been quite a busy life."

After finishing at Napier Girls' High School, she moved to Wellington where her husband Douglas Densham worked in insurance.

Her son Tony was born while Douglas fought in World War II and on his return they raised two boys and two girls together before returning to Hawke's Bay in 1977 to retire.

After her children left home Densham decided to revisit her interest in Roman and Greek Classics, completing a Bachelor of Arts in English and Classics.

"I've always been curious about that sort of thing."

Audrey couldn't decide who her favourite classic hero or god was, but confirmed Dionysus - the Greek god of wine - did not appear at her birthday celebrations over the weekend.

"We had a nice little party.

"It was so good seeing my family and relatives."

Unfortunately, her son and grandchildren from Australia were unable to attend because Covid's spike in New South Wales has closed the border.

Densham said she had received lots of lovely cards including from the offices of the Queen, the Prime Minister and the Governor General.

"It was very nice to be acknowledged."

She attributed her long life to eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, a "glass of red at dinner" and daily walks, though she admitted they had gotten "shorter and shorter".

She also says tai chi and majong has kept her mind sharp.

Her favourite period of time was her "early life" and she thought the telephone was the best invention.

"I don't think things have improved all that much with technology.

"Children spend all their time on devices instead of running around outside."

Audrey said it was "amazing to have gotten so far".