Verna White turned 100 on Friday. Photo / Stephen Parker
Verna White turned 100 on Friday. Photo / Stephen Parker
. Photo / Stephen Parker 200718sp6.JPG Shauni James shauni.james@y7mail.com
There may be something in the water, as three Rotorua women are happy to be celebrating milestone birthdays.
Verna White, at Lara Lodge Care Home, turned 100 on Friday and was joined by many friends for a high tea and entertainment to celebrate.
Verna was born in Rotorua and has always lived there, apart from a few years working in Auckland. She did secretarial work.
According to friends, White had a great collection of shoes and had an interest in history, with she and her father having an enormous amount of information about Rotorua's early history.
White was a founding member of the Apostolic Church in Rotorua and was a naturopath who enjoyed helping people.
She also gave up drinking tea when she was 15, saying that since life was so great and God was so good to her she had wanted to sacrifice something she loved.
Lodge owner Teresa Scheer said White's advice to them was always to have trust in the Lord and she often asked if they had read their Bible.
She said White lived in her own home until just six years ago, and that she was the type of person who made friends with people.
Scheer said they were excited to be able to help White celebrate this milestone birthday.
Meanwhile, in Fergusson Home, Ngaire Gadd, who turns 100 on August 9 is, "just a happy old girl".
Gadd said she was born in Nelson and never expected to arrive at this age.
She said she did not have any particular secrets to a long life, but that she had a great husband and family - "I've had a wonderful life".
Ngaire Gadd turns 100 on August 9. Photo/Stephen Parker
Gadd said she had enjoyed seeing all the changes over the years, such as electricity coming in for the first time - flicking on a switch instead of picking up a candle from the bedside - and having telephones.
"I've had the pleasure of seeing the old and the new."
Her advice to others and the younger generation is to always be honest with people.
"Never tell lies, it doesn't get you any where."
Gadd will celebrate her birthday with family and friends.
Fergusson Home's Audrey Gamman also celebrates a big birthday today,and is happy to be turning 102.
Fergusson Home will hold a morning tea, have cake and a special gift to help Gamman celebrate. An old friend of hers will also spend time with her for her birthday.
Gamman was born in Te Awamutu, where her parents had a dairy farm.
Audrey Gamman turns 102 on Tuesday<note>July 24</note>. Photo/Stephen Parker
She lived in Te Awamutu throughout her primary and intermediate school years, before moving to Rotorua, where she attended high school.
Gamman was a registered nurse and had three brothers. She spent a number of years in Blenheim, moving there in 1994, before returning to Rotorua in 2004.
She used to play golf and tennis, and was also a member of the Women's Institutes.
