Three-hundred years of human experience celebrated in one room

June Finlayson nee Morris (left) and Kath Stalker with their cakes for their 100th birthdays this month. Photo / Andrew Warner

Cake cutting, applause, singing and the strumming of ukuleles were all part of a local retirement village celebrating the 100th birthdays of three of its residents.

Family and Bupa Redwood Retirement Village and Care Home residents and staff gathered together on Wednesday for the celebration. The Thermaleles performed.

There were cakes for June Finlayson and Kath Stalker who turned 100 this month, and Selwyn Huston turned 100 in January.

Kath Stalker was born on June 7, 1922, in Auckland. Her father was a builder and had a second job working at Ellerslie Racecourse, leaving her mother to take care of the yard work such as mowing lawns, which was unusual in those days.

Her daughter Robyn Woodroffe shared Kath's life story with those in attendance, saying Kath remembered sliding down One Tree Hill in Auckland on nuku'alofa palm fronds with her sister and friends as kids.

Kath remembers the Depression and how although her family was not well off, her mother would make an extra lunch for Kath to give other kids at school who did not have any.

On her first day at Auckland Girls' Grammar School, she made a friend who she is still in contact with today, 88 years later.

After school, Kath took up office work and one of her hobbies was tatting.

After marrying in 1946, she moved to England for 18 months, where Robyn was born and she saw the results of the bombing and blitz, and experienced rationing. She returned to New Zealand in 1947 aboard the Akaroa.

Once back, she joined a badminton club, later married her husband Horrie, and the couple went on to have two more children - Julie and Gary.

In the early 60s Kath's husband, who was an architect and partner in Sargeant and Smith and Partners, transferred to Rotorua where he designed many buildings in the area.

Robyn said, "they joined the Wine and Food Society and the golf club, and through these got to know many more people".

Kath also enjoyed travelling through her husband's position in Kiwanis.

Her husband died 18 years ago. She lived at home until three months ago, when her declining mobility made her decide to move to Bupa Redwood.

Kath's three children have given her three grandsons, one granddaughter, three great-granddaughters and one great-grandson.

June Finlayson (nee Morris) was born on June 18, 1922 in Dunedin Hospital.

She came from a large family with 11 girls and one boy. She grew up in a farming family in Otago.

June Finlayson nee Morris (left), Kath Stalker and Selwyn Huston have turned 100 years old this year at Bupa Redwood Retirement Village and Care Home. Photo / Andrew Warner

Her husband Graham worked as a National Bank of NZ bank manager, meaning they moved around and lived in many cities and towns over the years.

He also spent time in the New Zealand Fleet Air Arm, but was part of the British branch.

June went on to have six children. She was a dressmaker and basically all of her children's clothes were handmade.

In whichever community she was living in, June loved helping on committees and was a Plunket supporter.

Her daughter Janene Sherlock was at the celebration this week and said, "If they didn't have one [Plunket] in the town she lived in, she made sure there was one before she left."

June and her husband Graham got married during the war and had their honeymoon in Rotorua.

Her husband died in 2002 in Auckland. Her family then decided it would be best for June to move to Rotorua and Bupa Redwood to be closer to family.

Janene described her mother as "a survivor of all sorts".

Selwyn Huston was born on January 2, 1922, in Wellington.

He went on to marry his sweetheart Jean and they had three children. He has eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Selwyn lived most of his life in Wellington and worked in the motor industry.

He remembers holidays at the fishing lodge in Taupō and running around free as a child.

Noku Sibanda, Bupa Redwood Retirement Village and Care Home general manager, said during the celebration that having three residents turning 100 was so special and an honour to celebrate.

"We don't take it for granted, we are so privileged and grateful for this. All of us would like to know the secret for someone to get to 100 years old."

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick attended and said it was lovely to be there.

"It's lovely that you are here, have friends and family with you, and lots of memories you still hold on to.

"As a community, we want to thank you for your legacy."

She said she used to individually meet everyone who turned 100, but now so many people were starting to live longer that she could not make it to every birthday.