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Home / New Zealand

Molly's 100th: Hastings woman says chops and porridge for breakfast the key to long-life

By Shannon Johnstone
Hawkes Bay Today·
12 Jun, 2020 06:00 PM3 mins to read

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Molly Harker was delighted to open her "very special" birthday card. Photo / Paul Taylor

Molly Harker was delighted to open her "very special" birthday card. Photo / Paul Taylor

The effervescent Molly Harker took a quick glance at the cover of her birthday card from the Queen, squinted, and said: "That's not me".

It's the self-described "country bumpkin's" 100th birthday todayand while her eyesight's maybe not as sharp as it was, she's still able to see the funny side.

She doesn't want much of a fuss about reaching the milestone, but she's having a birthday afternoon tea at Colwyn House Lifecare in Hastings where she lives.

There's a set-up with flowers, balloons, and pictures from her life.

Molly, her teddy bear best friend, and the residents will pop on some music to celebrate hitting the century.

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Molly's secret long life is the hearty breakfasts she ate every day as a child – chops and porridge on weekdays and home kill bacon and eggs on Sundays – as well as keeping active.

She was born in Gisborne in 1920, but moved to rural Hawke's Bay when she was 4, when her father got a job on a farm.

"I've always loved the country, I love the birds, the trees and the lambs. I'd rather be there than in town," she said.

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Her strongest memories are those of her childhood and early days, particularly those of her father who was "a very special man".

Her father didn't have a son, just two daughters - Maureen and herself - so she was treated like a boy, she said.

Her father had affectionately named her 'Snow' after her blonde hair.

"I'd be knitting inside, and he would come in and say 'Snow', so I'd put my knitting down and go outside to work with him".

She did all sorts of farm work from looking after sheep and cutting kindling to helping with fence building.

When she was young, Molly did correspondence school at the kitchen table, before eventually growing up and riding a horse to school with her sister.

She was married young and had four children - Andrew, Phillip, John and Johanna.

"I was only going to have three, but I kept having boys, and I wanted a little girl."

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Throughout her life she also ran a bed and breakfast and became a keen knitter, knitting for cruise ship tourists and charities.

Gardening and cooking were her favourites and keeping active something she thinks has helped her live a long life.

Colwyn House senior diversional therapist Wendy Lagaaia said much of Molly's knitting and gardening activities continued until recently.

"She's an energetic and funny woman. She's very much a housewife and a mother and she's also very proper."

Lagaaia said getting to know Harker in her six years as a resident has been "fascinating".

"To be as coherent as she is and have such vivid early memories in this place is amazing."

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