STAWELL’S Eileen Cooper will celebrate her 103rd birthday on Friday.
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Mrs Cooper is the oldest resident of Eventide Homes and in the Stawell area.
At the age of 103, Mrs Cooper can some days still be found wandering the halls of Eventide Homes with her walking frame.
Mrs Cooper’s daughter Faye Newton said it was wonderful her mother will be celebrating such a significant birthday.
“Nobody else in the family has lived to this age,” she said.
Mrs Newton said Mrs Cooper keeps herself active by occasionally walking the hallways.
“She wanders the hallways and went for walks with her walker in the foyer area. She said to me one day ‘you know while I can do this I’m right’,” she said.
Mrs Newton visits her mother most days to visit and turns the television on for Mrs Cooper to watch when she’s sitting in her chair.
“I don’t know if she watches it, or just turns it off as soon as I leave,” she said.
Mrs Cooper was born in Stawell to parents Sarah and James Thompson and lived in Stawell all her life.
Mrs Cooper was one of three children, Jimmy and Jean, and she had three children herself.
“They’ve all gone except me,” Mrs Newton said.
“There were Billy and Cecil and I’m the only one still here.”
Mrs Cooper married Clem who passed away at the age of 61.
“She’s been a long time here by herself,” Mrs Newton said.
Mrs Newton remembers her mother was a wonderful cook.
“My mum worked at a place called Lawson’s Cafe – it was a cake shop where you could go and have a cup of tea,” she said.
“She worked at the hospital in the kitchen for a little while too. She had to do the cooking because they liked her cakes.
“She was a really good cook.”
Mrs Cooper’s birthday will be a low key affair with celebrations at Eventide Homes.
“She has always had a sweet tooth and loved lollies,” Mrs Newton said.
“Although doesn’t fancy much food now I’m sure on her birthday she will be reminiscing about all the wonderful cakes she has made over the years.”
Eventide Homes chief executive Sue Blakey said it was a wonderful achievement for Mrs Cooper to reach the milestone and celebrate another birthday.
“She is a much-loved resident and it’s amazing to see her still walking around the halls,” Mrs Blakey said.
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