KORUMBURRA lady, Avis Tilley celebrated her 99th birthday last week on Monday September 16 with family and with friends at the Top Pub in Korumburra.
Ms Tilley’s life has been filled with ups and downs, tragic times and joyful times and she never thought she would reach 99 years of age.
“I never expected to get here. I had a very bad car smash nearly 14 years ago, and I ended up in the hospital for five months because I was very badly smashed up,” said Ms Tilley.
“You fight. It doesn’t matter what you got. You fight.
“I survived. I always do.”
Two long tables were filled with Ms Tilley’s friends last Tuesday following having celebrated with her family on Monday over lunch, also at the Austral Hotel.
She comments that she didn’t expect to receive presents that day and shed a few tears of gratitude when presented with a large, decorated birthday cake, a bunch of flowers and everyone singing Happy Birthday.
“I’m a bit emotional today,” she admitted.
Each week Ms Tilley stays active and joins the Legacy Group and RSL ladies for lunch at the pub and when they go out to explore different places; and previously volunteered at Coal Creek for many years.
“I just do what I can do and if I can help anybody I will because that’s who I am. You’ve got to, you can’t just be for yourself,” she said.
The nonagenarian still lives at home alone, still drives a car and still does everything for herself that she needs to do, including the washing and ironing.
The only thing she can’t do is gardening, but she has lived in the same home for the past 21 years and said she has a wonderful landlord who will come and check on her and help her out.
Ms Tilley lives by some key pieces of wisdom that have helped her to get through hard times, of which she has experienced many, including her mother passing away when she was just four years old, her father being a hard man, and suffering as an adult in a bad marriage.
“I always think positive. Always. Never look on the opposite side,” she said.
“It’s just daily. Everything’s daily. One day at a time. Open your eyes, have a look at the weather, whether it’s a good day or if it’s lousy, just go day by day.”
Ms Tilley has two daughters and a stepdaughter, a tribe of stepsons and had seven grandchildren, but tragically lost one of her grandsons to cancer.
“I’ll never get over that because you expect to go before them,” she said.
“It’s hard, but I’ve got all these good things.”
And she looks forward to receiving a letter from the King when she turns 100 next year.